The Binds That Tie Us
by Tiger of the Dark
Summary: When a muggle named Stacey somehow ends up in hogwarts what will happen? Who is she really and why does Voldemort want her captured? Also will Severus surive the assigement of having to watch her...hee hee. Well you'll have to read the story now won't u.(
1. The Little Leather Book

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these Charters they all belong to J.K Rowlings. Well Except for Stacey  
  
AN: Ok this is my first ever fan fic so it probably won't be that good and since I can't spell for my life even with the use of a spell checker so you will probably be seeing many many Grammar errors. :0) let me know if you do. Enjoy. (The first few chapters are kinda short...but that's because we all want to get to the good part right..)  
  
CH 1: The Little Leather book  
  
"Oh hell mom, would have it been asking too much if you would have just kept this room clean?" Asked Stacey in a somewhat calm tone to herself.  
  
Looking back she wondered why her mother was such a messy person. She never really bothered with organizing herself and now Stacey was stuck cleaning out her things for the attic. If you took one step within the room you truly would not be able to see the floor. Books, clothes, makeup and files were all thrown about the room. I swear you would have though a hurricane came through here. Though Stacey as she was picking up a dirty sock.  
  
Stacey was a bright and lively 19yr old despite the fact that her mother had passed away a month ago from cancer. She lived in America with her father and made her living with teaching a karate class once a week. It wasn't a bad living but she often though how much better it would be with her mother around.  
  
"Stacey!" called her dad "do you need any help up there?'  
  
"NO dad I'm ok but I could sure use a map?" yelled Stacey  
  
"Ha ha.I'd offer you one but it's probably in that disaster called your mother's room."  
  
Gee I Figured as much...Though Stacey.  
  
"Ok I'm going out to the store then to pick up some stuff. Don't get lost in that mess while I'm gone ok sweetheart?" said her dad.  
  
"All right bye dad." Replied Stacey  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
After 2 hours and half way through her job Stacey noticed a trunk that she had never seen before. It was beautiful and had her mother's initials on it. (SV) Stacey being as curious as she were walked over to the trunk at the foot of her mother's bed and swept off the junk that was piled on top of it. That's funny.wonder why I've never noticed this thing here before. Mom never did like anything old so what would she be doing with a scrungy thing like this. After about a minute or so she finally got it open but not before she managed to sprain her finger in the process and took a peek inside. Humm.what is all this stuff? A stick, some old looking clothes. Looks like mom got this stuff at the ressians festival. As she was about to close the trunk something caught her eye. It was a book, leather bound and small. Almost like a diary.  
  
"What in the world is this thing?" she asked herself. Something told her that this wasn't an ordinary book. Something didn't feel right. She kept asking herself. What would mom be doing with a old leather bound book? The book was about the size of a small diary. On the cover in faded gold letters were the initials (S.V). In the end she gave a shrug and opened it. Panic rushed through her. She felt as if a Black hole were pulling her in and as quickly as it began it ended  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
"What the hell was that?" she said softly as she stood up slowly and viewed her surrourandings. As she looked around all she could see was darkness with a bit of light peeking in from a door. It smelled of herbs and some other things she didn't care to find out. It took her a second to realize she was in a closet.  
  
"Ok Stacey how the hell did you get your self in a closet. Lets see.. you opened your mothers book and."she was intureped by a loud and viscous voice.  
  
"LONGBOTTOM!! YOU INCOMPENDENCE IS NOT ONLY PATHETIC, BUT NEVER CEISES TO AMAZE ME. THIS IS THE 4TH CAULDREN YOU MELTED THIS MONTH. 50 POINTS FROM GRIFFINDOR AND DETENTION WITH FILICH."  
  
"Y..Yes Professor S...Snape" said a scared voice from the back of the room.  
  
Panic and worry now rushed threw her along with questions rushing in here head.Where am I? Who the hell is that? Is he a teacher? Why do they all sound English? Did I just step back in time and.just then she realized that her cell phone went of. It was an odd ring it sounded like a tune between the nut cracker and a children's song. She was scared beyond belief. She knew that everyone heard that and that someone was in the closet. "Shit shit shit .oh no stupid phone why the hell did you have to go off now.oh great he's coming over here.I can hear him."  
  
Snape could hear the strange and annoying sound coming from his potions closet. With all his students in one corner of the room he sneered to himself .This is the future generation that is suppose to defeat Voldomont? He drew his wand from his sleeve and cautiously made his way toward the closet door and was about to open it when it flew open and a very fearful Stacey came flying out the door knocking into Severus and falling backwards on the floor.  
  
"Erm.uhhh.hello there Dracula you wouldn't mind showing me the door and letting me go would ya" Severus was to baffled to respond. Just as he was thinking of a good Hex to put on the stupid little girl who called him "Dracula" she suddenly tripped him with one clean kick and made a dash to the door.Ok almost there.just a little bit further and.  
  
"I don't think so." Said the Tall black shoulder-haired man now standing in front of her blocking her Exit path.  
  
"What.but.but you were on the floor over there how did you? That's impossible!"  
  
"Glad to see you enjoyed my litt." before Severus could even finish Stacey ended up grabing his arm and flipping him over her shoulder and ran out the door as fast at her track sneakers would take her. 


	2. Escape from the Closet

Disclaimer: I do not own ne thing they all belong to J.K.R. and all that good stuff.  
CH2: The Escape From The Closet  
"Ahhhh this isn't happening! This isn't happening!!" After Stacey managed to get out the door she cursed herself for even opening that stupid Book. Right now she wasn't thinking about where she was, she could only concentrate on running for her life. She had managed to get half way down the hall way when all of a sudden a door from another room swung open, hitting Stacey and breaking her nose.  
  
"OH quite sorry there Miss..uhhh...what is your name?"  
  
There standing in front of her was a tall and colorful looking man. Stacey didn't know what to make of it at first. She simply got up and ran not even bothering to answer him but before she could even get as far as two steps she was bound and unable to move herself. When she finally regained her senses and looked up she saw "Dracula" hovering over her with a less then happy look on his face.  
  
"Lockheart you bumbling moron! What did you expect to do? Just stand there and allow her to get away?! Why not offer her a cup of tea and a walk to the front gates!"  
  
"Why Sev old chap it's good to see you to. I could have easily apprehended this girl with a flick of my wrist. Why I remember when I was in the dark forest I...."  
  
"Can it Lockhart. Stop standing there and Help me get her to Dumbledore's office."  
  
"OH god please I don't wanna be blown up, or killed, or fried, you know if you jus...."  
  
"Shut up you silly girl! I don't know how you got here, but believe me when I say this! You will be punished for your acts."  
  
"Whaaa! I don't wanna die, please let me go!!" *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* Nose bleeding and nerves shot, Stacey was taken to a large stone gargoyle at the end of the hall. Severus couldn't stand to hear any more of the, what he though to be, stupid girl's babbling and so cast a silencing charm on her. He had an idea on who she was. At first he though this pathetic girl to be a dark witch who had somehow gotten into Hogwarts by means of Apparition, but soon realized she was probably not a dark witch but a spy of some sort....whom happened to be a very good actor at playing stupid.  
  
"Sugar Quill"  
  
As soon as the words were spoken the stone gargoyle had jumped out of the way to reveal a stair case and a door at the top. The room was huge, circular with moving pictures of people who were frowning down at her and nodding their heads. Moving pictures? What the...ok now I know I'm not in Kansas. in the corner was a perch with a beautiful bird. The color if it's feathers reminded her of fire. Stacey glanced at the desk in the middle of the room to notice an old man with a white beard and long white hair. Stacey was scared but after taking one look into his blue eyes and seeing a twinkle of something Stacey couldn't identify, calmed down and made one last attempted to escape by hopping out the room, but was cough by the inane idiot who had gotten her with the door.  
  
"Severus who may I ask is this young lady? And why is she bound?" said the kind old man and with a flick of his wrist had set Stacey free from her invisible bindings and was able to talk again.  
  
"Albus, I have not a clue as to who this girl is or how she came to be in Hogwarts, but was hoping that we might figure that out today."  
  
"My charm on a lady has never failed me yet... don't worry Albus I well get you information out from her. Why I remember I had to once...."  
  
"Lockheart if you think you are able to get the information from this "spy" then by all means go right ahead, but please spare us with your rambling!" Snape said in a sarcastic voice.  
  
"My Dear would you be so kind as to enlighten us with you name and tell us who you are?" Lockheart was about to grab her hand and kiss it lightly, but before he could react was punched in the nose by Stacey. Blood poring everywhere. Albus was kinda dumb founded while Snape was snickering to himself. He had hoped one day that he would break that nose of his.  
  
"That, you egotistic bastard, was for breaking my nose with the damn door! Conceder that pay back! Anyway since you asked so nicely I will tell you. My name is Stacey, Stacey Vitale. I live in New Jersey, I teach a karate class and I have no idea how I got here. lets see... that big nosed ass over there nearly blew me into a wall and I've had so many sticks pointed at me that I think I'm seeing them in my sleep. My nose is broken and I want to know where the hell I am!!!"  
  
"Miss.Vitale welcome to Hogwarts school of Witch craft and Wizardry." Beamed Albus  
  
"Come again? Did i hear you correctly? Witchcraft? "  
  
"Yes Miss.Vitale witchcraft."  
  
"Albus, then that means she's a muggle! She can't stay here any longer! We must erase her memo...."  
  
"No Severus, I believe that Miss. Vitale is here for a reason and therefore think it wise if she stays her and attends."  
  
"Wow really..wait I can't.. You see I have no idea of how to pay you and I can't exactly use a wand.. I have no idea how... And you see...."  
  
"Miss. Vitale. The Christmas break is in two days. You will start your pre- classes tomorrow. I know that you have no experience with a wand but we have classes here that don't require a use of a wand. Your pre-classes start tomorrow and you will be sorted today. Over the holiday, Severus will take you to Diagon Ally to get the robes and supplies required for our school, but for now you will wear what you have now. I believe that you are here for a reason and until we figure that out you will be required to stay and attend here."  
  
"Albus you can't be serious!!!! There is no possible way that a muggle can attend here and be a student. She has no magical properties and surely the minstery will have a say in this once word gets out you have a muggle in Hogwarts."  
  
"Umm Sir, what is a muggle?"  
  
"YOU'RE A MUGGLE!!"  
  
"Aheam, Sev that surely isn't a way to treat a lady," chuckled Lockhart" even if she did mange to break my nose! But none the less I am sure Miss. Vitale will make a fine addition to Hogwarts."  
  
"What an idiot!" breathed Stacey under her breath but it was loud enough for Albus and Severus to pick up and both simply looked at each other and shooting her a look of amusement well Albus did anyway Severus just simply sneered at her, but she figured it was as close to a smile as she would get.  
  
"Professor Lockheart, I think it would be in your best interest to get up to poppy and have that nose fixed." Mused Albus.  
  
"Oh right, you have a point there don't you. Well good bye my dear and good luck with the sorting and all." He bowed to Stacey and left a little more dramatically then necessary. As the door closed Stacey rolled her eyes and Snape was muttering something about inane people and how one could be hired as a teacher.  
  
"Stupid people shouldn't be aloud to breed let alone teach!" muttered Stacey to no one in pictular, just in general. She was watching as the old man known to be Albus, walked over to a shelf and picked up an old torn hat.  
  
"Umm sir, what is that and what do you plan to do with it."  
  
"Miss Vitale this is our sorting hat, it will place you in one of four houses. Slytherin, Huffelpuff, Ravenclaw, or Gryffindor. I will place it on your head and it will sort you. Please do not worry , it won't hurt." Dumbledore places the hat on Stacey's head and she watched or rather felt as it came to life, all of a sudden it began to talk.  
  
"Humm interesting, very interesting, you show loyalty to your friends, Huffelpuff would soot you nicely but you also show a lot of courage. So it won't be Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Well then better be GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
"Figured that you would be in Gryffindor." came a low silky voice.  
  
"Why do you say that Severus?" chuckled Albus  
  
"Well anyone with a mouth like that and the ability to never shut up would certainly have to be a Griffindor." he mused in a sarcastic voice.  
  
"Hey you stupid big nosed jerk come and say that when your in hitting range!"  
  
"I think not" he said in a low dangerous voice" I could do a great deal of damage to you with a few words."  
  
"Oh yes with that stick of yours, right? Well let me see it so i can stick it in an easy to reach area such as you're as...."  
  
"Umm my dear lets get that nose of yours fixed and get you up to your room. You will be starting tomorrow and I believe you need your rest."  
  
"Yes sir, erm....how do i get there?"  
  
"I am sure that Severus will be happy to take you." Albus chuckled while Snape just glared at her in a look of distaste.  
  
"Oh joy!" Beamed Stacey.  
  
"One more thing Miss.Vitale,"  
  
"Yes, Sir?"  
  
"you said that you teached a karate class well it would be an honor if you once a day could hold a class and teach some of our students defense the muggles use for our muggle studies class? Would you do that for us?"  
  
"Yea! Hey this will be great. I would love to"  
  
"Wonderful, since you are now both a student and a teacher you will be sitting at the staff table instead of the normal student table."  
  
"OK, Thank You"  
  
"Your Welcome" He smiled  
  
This is turning out to be a dream come true! *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* 


	3. A Friend Indeed

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own any of these Charters they all belong to J.K Rowlings. Well Except for Stacey  
CH 3: A Friend Indeed.  
Next morning Stacey had somehow managed on her own to find the great hall, although it was an hour until she did manage to locate it. She didn't have any robes yet so she settled for yesterday's clothes, which were jeans, running sneakers, a t-shirt, and a maroon areo sweatshirt. She looked out of place and everyone knew it. Stacey managed to sum up enough courage and entered the doors to the great hall. The scean was breath taking. The ceiling was enchanted to look like the morning sky and four long tables stretched. She was so taken aback by the look of it all that she didn't notice everyone stop and stare at her. Hearing the tapping of a glass was what took her out of la la land and back to reality. it was then she noticed the eyes. Everybody staring at her and whispering to the person next to them. Her yellow green eyes scanned the room and then noticed Dumbledore get up and say "Everyone this is Stacey, she will be with us for awhile and is not only a student but a professor. She will be teaching a karate class for muggel studies for the year."  
  
She just stood there smiling and nodding in agreement even though she looked like a complete idiot. She quickly made her way to the head table and took a seat next to Snape and Lockhart. As soon as she sat down she was in awe to see her plate magically fill up with food and the goblet with a sort of funny looking liquid.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"My dear lady that is pumpkin juice." Replied Lockhart in a voice that was to jolly for Stacey in the morning.  
  
"Erm...ok?"  
  
"Here take this!" Stacey was startled by the harsh voice coming from beside her and twirled in her seat to see who it was. She saw Snape glaring at her with a look of amusement plastered on his face. She looked at him then at the scroll with a bit of confusion.  
  
"Miss. Vitale you act as if you've never seen a scroll before! That is you class schedule. After breakfast you have potions with me and I expect you not to be late otherwise you will be losing house points for Griffindor. Understood?"  
  
"Perfectly" she rolled her eyes  
  
"Two points from Gryffindor for your cheek Miss. Vitale"  
  
"But class hasn't even started yet! You can't do that who do you think you are!"  
  
"Your potions professor" he smirked  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
She wondered the halls amisily. Not knowing exactly where she was going but though she would eventually find the dungeons. One would think that Dumbledor would have given me a map to.....her train of though was interrupted by a voice from behind her to see who it was.  
  
"Are you lost?" came the voice of the girl. She was about Stacey's age meaby two or 3 years younger, short with blonde hair a little past her chin, she wasn't to tall and was thin. Her brown eyes just stared at her waiting for a response.  
  
"Oh yea, would it be asking too much of you to help me out?"  
  
"No not at all, where are ya goin? Oh by the way I'm Laurelle, Laurelle Wallach."  
  
"I'm Stacey, Stacey Vitale. I need to get to Potions and I haven't a clue as to where I'm going."  
  
"Well Stacey since I happen to be in your class I would assume that you would want to follow me. As were walking do you mind if I ask ya a question?"  
  
"No not at all go ahead."  
  
"Well I've noticed that your accent is American. Am I correct?"  
  
"Yea, I'm from New Jersey. In a Small Town called Franklin. It wasn't much but it was home. Why?  
  
"Really! You know my family lives in New Jersey. I was sent to Massachusetts to attend the school in Salem, but was transferred here as a foreign exchange student. It really does get tiring to hear people with English accents all the time, ya kno."  
  
"Yea, I know what you mean. I don't know how I got here but since my arrival I've become the muggle studies teacher and a student all at the same time. So I expect your probably be one of my students and my pier." Stacey laughed to herself "Huh, funny don't you think."  
  
"Heh, so far from what i can tell your weird, crazy, and a bit on the funny side. this is going to be a beautiful friendship." Laurelle grinned  
  
"Yes, Yes it is." she said returning the smile  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
A.N: I based the newest character on my best friend Laurelle. ha to her she said that this story would never get off the ground but i simply covered my ears and said la la la la la la.. He he no I'm not crazy :0). ne way she is also my beta reader. And I would also like to make it clear that she is a lot crazier in real life then as I now interpreted her in the story. as a matter of fact as the story progresses her true colors will come out.!!!! (i assume Laurelle that your wincing as your reading this. :) 


	4. Teachers From Hell

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these Charters they all belong to J.K Rowlings. Well Except for Stacey  
Ch4: Teachers From Hell  
Stacey and Laurelle finally neared the potions classroom and not to mention 12 minutes late at that. Stacey finally mustered up the courage follow Laurelle in. As she did she attempted to tip toe in and to her seat but soon realized she was cough as a familiar and sarcastic voice came from behind her.  
  
"You're late Miss.Vitale. I assume that you got lost. Figures coming from a Gryffindor. After all you weren't sorted into there for your intelligences. And you Miss. Wallach have earned another detention with Filch." Snape turned on his heals and walked back to his desk as he did so he began to hear Stacey muttering something about ....Arrogant Bastard.....and I'll fix that face of his... under her breath.  
  
"Oh and Miss.Vitale 50 points from Gryffindor for that mouth and another 20 for being late." he said without even bothering to turn around. To mad to even retort to his remark she took a seat next to Laurelle, and mouthed "what now?". All of a sudden the door opened and Gilidory Lockhart strolled in.  
  
"Sev old chap mind if I had a word with you for a moment?" she tried to repress her laughter. He was wearing the most ridicules thing she had ever seen. it was a rosy pink colored Victorian suit. Laurelle commented that it was the way he had always worn his robes and that ever one was like that, but in a different color. She snickered at this and was shaking terriberly from the laughter that she was holding in.  
  
"What is it now, Lockhart!" sneered Snape, he wasn't yelling but the tone in his voice was enough to scare the bravest of students. But of corse Lockhart being to stupid to take this hint merely smiled and gave a hand jester that said to step outside for a moment.  
  
"If I talk to you know will you not disturbed me again?"  
  
"Yes of corse Sev." Snape rolled his eyes and swooped out of the classroom, robes bellowing behind him.  
  
"If any one of you moves I will personally see to it that your house point count is somewhere in the negative range. Understood!" and with that said the door closed or in other terms slammed.  
  
"Well, well seems as if we have another mud-blood joining our class." Stacey whirled around to face the arrogant brat who had said that... She was suddenly standing 3 feet away from a blonde haired boy with two, what appeared to be, body guards on either side of him. She looked at him with a blank expression and one eyebrow raised.  
  
"And what pretell is a "Mud-blood"?" crossing her arms to her chest and glaring at him she continued" cuz god knows I've already been called a, how did they put it, oh yes muggle?! And now I'm being called a mud-blood! So please do go on and explain yourself!" she could hear gasps of shock erupt through out the classroom while people whispered things like. Muggle?...Why is there a muggle in Hogwarts.. She shouldn't be here. Stacey felt a little unconformable. She was regretting saying that. Just then the door flew open once more and in walked Snape.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy I suggest that you sit down before you lose your house any points! And Miss.Vitale 10 more points from Gryffindor for being out of your seat!" She couldn't believe it.. he just took points from Gryffindor when the Slytherin did the excact same thing! Damn that man! She turned to look at the blonde ass who had just gotten points taken away from her house. He was just sitting there snickering with the two cheese clods that were stationed one on each side. She really wished that she could just go over there and beat that smile right off his face but that would have to wait until later.  
  
"Turn you books to page 210 and follow the directions and complete the potion 15 minutes before the class ends. I expect that you dunderheads can manage a simple sleeping potion. Miss.Vitale please work with Miss. Wallach seeing as this is your first potion and I prefer that you don't blow up any of my cauldrons. You may begin. As the class began their potions Stacey turned to Laurelle only to see a look of impassiveness, but it was her eyes that gave away her feeling, she looked hurt and a little worried.  
  
"Look Laurelle I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was a what do you call it, muggle." she lowered her head to look into the cauldron and to avoid Laurelle's eyes." What is a muggle anyway? And what was little blonde teacher's pet rattling on about a mud-blood."  
  
"Well it's really not your fault that you didn't tell me. You don't even know what one is, so you couldn't have known it was something that needed to be told." Laurelle paused to look at Stacey and smile." Anyway a muggle is a person who can't do magic and have no idea that we even exist. It's illogical for one to even know about Hogwarts let alone teach and attend here. And a mud-blood is someone who's part muggle and part witch or wizard. I myself am not a mud-blood, a lot of people are and that blonde suck up over there is Draco Malfoy. He is what we know to be part of one of the 8 pure blood wizarding families. these families are very wealthy and usually always marry into each other." a look of degust grew across her face" they believe that keeping their family pure is the most important thing in the world."  
  
"So there all a bunch of inbred rich snobby bastards?"  
  
"When it all comes down to it, yes. The other well known pure blood wizarding family are the Snapes." Stacey's eyes grew wide" Yea I know that was my reaction too when I first was told that and my teacher was Snape. Anyway the Snapes and the Malfoy are uhhh close." Laurelle put down her scalpel and linked her pinkeye's together to show what she meant." They are very close in business and most of the Malfoy are Death Eaters. Well that's what I heard anyway.  
  
"Wait a minute Laurelle, What is a Death Eater? It doesn't sound good at all. Is that some sort of colt or something?"  
  
"Well yes, they are the followers of Voldemort or as everybody else likes to call him He-Who-Must-Not-Have-A-Name or something like that. Personally I think it's stupid for everyone to call him that. It only feeds into his already oversized ego. Anyway Voldemort is one of the badest wizards that you will ever come across. You don't want to mess with the mother fuc......"  
  
"Laurelle, I get it. Continue."  
  
"Sorry, I lost myself, anyway back to the subject, he believes that all muggles and muggle born wizards and witched should be destroyed and only pure bloods should live. And do you see those Slytherians over there?" Stacey nodded " Basically there Death Eaters in training. Not all of them but most of them. Like little Draco there. Getting back to Voldemort, 15 years ago he tried to kill a boy named Harry Potter. Anyway he was the only one who had ever survived him and ended up rebounding his own curse right back to hit him in the ass. Harry's parents died and he lives with a set of muggles. Not anyone who you would want to meet. Harry earned the title "the boy who lived". And he's in our house just so you kno." Laurelle beamed with pride.  
  
"UHH Laurelle?" Stacey eyes grew big  
  
"Yea Stacey?"  
  
"Is the Potion suppose to be bubbling like that?!"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"HOLY SHIT MATE HIT THE DECK!" and with that Stacey and Laurelle hit the floor only to hear a loud boom and Snape's roaring voice.  
  
"VITALE.....WALLACH!! 100 NO 200 POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR AND DETENTION WITH ME! MISS. VITALE PLEASE STAY AFTER CLASS SO I MAY HAVE A WORD WITH YOU!" Roared Snape. Gee I wonder what got him so mad? She thought Sarcastically  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
*~~~~~~~~*  
After class had ended and the mess was cleaned by none other then the two that caused it Stacey went towards the door to leave with Laurelle when she realized she had to stay after to as Snape put it "have a word" with her. Groaning she turned to Laurelle and told her not to wait up seeing as this was going to take awhile.  
  
"So Stacey before I leave May I ask you what size coffin you would like" beamed Laurelle  
  
"You know Laurelle you have a very dry sense of humor. Now go before you're late to DADA. I will be there shortly."  
  
"Fine, Fine but don't blame me if your coffin is to small." she chuckled and left.  
  
Stacey shook her head and rolled her eyes. She walked to a desk in the front and plopped herself down into the seat and waited for Snape to finish writing what ever it was that he was writing. Probably marking down all the different ways he wishes to kill me for blowing up one of his stupid cauldrons. She though... She was yanked out of her train of though by a shadow looming over her. She peered up to see his face staring at her. She jumped and fell out of the chair. He just stared at her and raised his eyebrows.  
  
"Do you have intentions now on breaking one of my chairs as well Miss.Vitale?"  
  
"No, I don't have intentions on breaking any of your chairs Professor Snape" she said mocking him.  
  
"It would be best not to mock me Miss.Vitale."  
  
"And why is that? Humm plan to take more points off?"  
  
"No, because I hold your grade for this class."  
  
"Oh gee there's a though!" Snape simply ignored her and decided to cut to the chase.  
  
"Miss. Vitale Your conduct in class today was unacceptable. I understand that you have no experience in potion making but not even a first year could manage to blow up a cauldron and destroy a perfectly good potion."  
  
"Well la te da, ok so I screwed up and wasn't paying attention. I apologize but I am not going to apologize for disrupting the class. For you see you should have known my experience level and should have not let me done anything until after the Christmas break. I must be going now for my DADA class Professor Snape good day." and with that she left but not before sticking her head back in the door and sticking her toung out at him. He just glared at her and she left in a hurry.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
Stacey managed to get to the DADA class, but did not enter yet. She stood outside the door and took a deep breath. It was only then she realized that she stood out from everyone else. He had on jeans and an areo maroon sweatshirt while everyone else had on black robes with there house symbol on it. She really felt stupid but original. She opened the door and walked in only to sigh at the last person she wanted to see. Gilidory Lockhart. And by the looks of it ever girl with the exception of herself and Laurelle where mooning over him as if he were the blasted sun. She really needed ask Dumbledore where he found this nut case.  
  
"Ah, Miss.Vitale, Come in and Have a seat. I am glad that you were able to join us for our lecture about 'magical me'." He did an inane pose and pointed her to a seat. As she walked into the classroom she noticed a giant painting of him. It just looked at her and bowed. She rolled her eyes and though to herself just like the real damn thing...to stupid to know when not to bow...i wouldn't be surprised if he lost his head bowing to a giant snapping turtle!  
  
"Oh isn't he just dreamy!" One Ravenclaw girl whispered to Stacey as she was taking a seat next to Laurelle.  
  
"Oh yes, that is if you like falling in love with a dodo bird!" spat Stacey .but so low as only the girl and Laurelle could hear. The girl looked simply outraged and turned away from Stacey after giving a "Humph". Stacey just snickered and looked over at Laurelle who was teary eyed and shacking badly from trying to hard not to laugh. She then turned her attention to Lockhart who was talking about some nonsense.  
  
"As you all know from reading my new book magical me I have come across many dangerous creatures, but there are none more menacing then the elusive candy stealing elves. I have managed to capture some of these elves for a demonstration. Are there any questions? Uh yes Miss Wallach."  
  
A wide grin grew on Laurelle's face. She took a quick look at Stacey and in a childish voice asked "Why do doggies sniff each others butts?" Stacey gave her a look and she began to laugh with the rest of the boys in the class at the confused look on his face. Probably wondering why two out of the hundreds of woman who adore him were now showing him as much respect as a piece of dirt. He simply looked at them and said  
  
"Well since I am magical me I will enlighten my young fans on a fact. I am one of the most skilled wizards in the world so I shall give you ladies a signed picture of me." Stacey stopped laughing and just looked at him with a confused look. She was thinking how this guy couldn't be as stupid as she though he was, could he? Why on earth would he just blow that over as if it were nothing? Did he not realize that he was being made fun of? Meaby that ego was clouding his judgment.....what a moron!  
  
Class continued and ended with as much disaster as potions. The elves were let out of their cages and it was havoc. They were everywhere in everyone's hair and attempting to get outside the classroom to find some candy (hence the name). Lockhart being the coward that he was ran outside the classroom to "get help" (even though we all kno he was hiding) and left the students to get the creatures into their cage. After about 5 or 10 minutes all the little Elves were apprehended and the bell rang. Stacey pinched the bridge of her nose thanking the lord that was over for now.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
At lunch she had to refrain from dumping her goblet of juice on Lockhart. He kept droning on and on about himself and his many adventures. She was getting bored and decided to slam her head down on the table as of hopes to knock herself unconscious and meaby wouldn't have to listen to him talk. The staff had all turned to look at her and decided not to question her actions. She had her head down and all of a sudden there was a low but velvety voice from beside her.  
  
"So Miss.Vitale what do you plan to do for you teachings today?" Snape asked with heavy sarcasm.  
  
"Well Professor Snape, I Plan to interrupt your class and teach my kids how to blow up a cauldron." He just stared at her with eyebrows raised. "Uggg... I swear no sense of humor. I plan to attempt to teach a karate lesson for my first week or so."  
  
He snorted "That's funny Miss.Vitale coming from somebody as inept as you are. How do you plan to teach anything when you have a problem learning even the simplest of potions." That set Stacey off. She was pissed. How could someone like him say that to her. he had no right to talk about teaching methods. when the idiot couldn't even disciplined the right person. she simply clenched her hand around her goblet of juice and dumped it on his head. With that she up and left feeling a little bit better, but still wished she could have at least done it to Lockhart.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
To say that Snape was made would have been an understatement. He had never been so humiliated in his life. He realized that meaby that wasn't the best thing to say but she deserved it for blowing up his cauldron. Gods know he gets enough of that from Longbottom. He knew that this would not go unpunished from him. He would do something just as embarrassing to her as she had done to him, but what? if this was a cartoon a little light bulb would have appeared on the top of his head and turned on. well in this case meaby a candle. He knew what he would do and with that he got up with a smirk plastered on his face and left.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
After 10 wrong turns and with some assistance from a ghost, Stacey was finally able to reach her class room. She was in awe. This was her classroom. She was a teacher. She knew that she tough a karate class but nothing like this. She wandered what she had gotten herself into. Should she go home or should she stay, here at Hogwarts. To her this felt like a home even though she loved it back at New Jersey she couldn't help but feel that here a gap for the loss of her mother was slowly being filled. Stacey was snapped back to reality from the bell. She took a seat at her desk to see who would be in her class. Carefully she walked up to her desk and took out a parchment with her list of kids for today.  
  
"Humm lets see who do I have for my first class. Wallach, ok good so Laurelle will be here. Mayor, Weasley, Simpsion, Malfoy. Humm where have I head that name before." she said to herself. she was suddenly looking at the door and seeing all her students coming into attend the class. Then it hit her who exactly Malfoy was. Tis was the stupid little brat who she wanted to throw out the window. Oh great, this should be an interesting class.  
  
"Why hello Professor Vitale I am sure looking forward to your class today."  
  
"Malfoy cut the sweet act and sit your but down. I know your little act may work on other teachers but I am not one to truffle with. 10 points from Slytherin for sucking up. I may have been your equal in potions but here is a whole 'nother ball game." as she was finished saying this she threw on a fake smile and pointed to a desk over in the front of the room. Draco wasn't to pleased about this and the minute she pointed he turned and mumbled all the way to his seat something about.....wait till my father hears about this and.......she'll be sacked faster then she can blink. Having that over with she began the class.  
  
"Hello and welcome everyone to muggle studies. First i would like to start out with telling everybody," she glanced over at the Slytherin side" That yes i am a muggle and from what I've been hearing you conceder me or at least some of you think that we muggles are brainless or at least somewhat less superior to wizards. Let me make myself clear. I may be a muggle, but I sure as hell am more capable of defending myself aginst an enemy more so then you guys with your sticks. All I am saying is DON'T break every rule that this school has in my class just because I am someone who can't wave a wand and make something happen. I assure you that the one who does will be receiving detention for 2 months and will be headed straight to Dumbledore's office to explain his or her's actions to him." she took a look around the class to see everyone looking at her with a somewhat confused look on their faces..or meaby it was shock. With that she replastered a smile like nothing had ever happened and began the lesson." For the first seven days of class you will be attempting to learn a defense skill that some muggles have mastered. It's called karate. Sometimes you can't always depend on a wand to save you from a situation that can put your life in danger. So we will begin with a few balancing exercises... ummm but first I'm going to have to ask someone to move the chairs and tables to the far side of the room"  
  
"Hey Stac...Uhhh I mean Professor Vitale I'll be happy too." piped Laurelle who was raising her wand and in the middle of getting out of her chair. Stacey looked at her and gave a wink.  
  
"Ok miss Wallach go ahead." Laurelle suddenly raised her wand and all the desks were moved to the back of the room along with the chairs. She looked at Stacey and gave a wink then put her wand away and joined the group of kids who were in the middle of the room. Stacey made her way down to the students and a bigger smile grew on her face. "Alright guys these balancing exercises are pretty simple to do. I want you to simply pick your leg up and grab it; this is simply to see how well you can balance yourself on one leg." Everyone just kinda looked at her and stared for a moment. One by one the proceeded to pick up their legs and what Stacey witnessed was hysterical. No one was able to stand on one leg, not even her friend Laurelle. She gave a sigh and though, Doesn't anyone know how to stand on one leg... This is going to be a loooong lesson. " Ok guys, for the rest of the period I want you to pair up in groups of two and attempt to hold your balance for at least 40 seconds, how do you expect to kick if you can't even stand on one foot."  
  
The bell rang and the students walked out of class with the exception of Laurelle. "Hey Laurelle so how was I, did I scare them bad enough." She giggled.  
  
"Well Professor I'm going to say this, your better at teaching then you are at learning. At least nothing bad happened in your class, but ya know something Stac I don't ever think I'm ever gonna get use to calling you "Professor""  
  
"Then don't outside the classroom call me Stacey, I think that would be better for the both of us. I think I might ask Dumbledore to let me be a permant teacher and meaby have the tutoring on the side. I like it here at Hogwarts and I don't think I want to leave. I mean yea I'm a muggle, but I could teach these kids a lot of things and meaby change the stereotypical view of a muggle. What do you think?"  
  
"Stac that would be great, But isn't Dumbledore our muggle teacher now? And you told me how Snape took it when Dumbledore told you that you were going to stay as a student and a teacher... How do you think he'll take it?"  
  
"Dumbledore told me that he was only a sub for the time being and that he was looking for a teacher. As for that greasy haired......" just as she was about to finish saying what she was saying the door opened and in walked the last person Stacey though she would ever see....Snape. Both girls looked at each other and Stacey turned to approach Snape. Laurelle had different ideas and decided it best to leave, she wasn't about to get herself killed she saw everything that had happened during lunch and she knew it would not be a pretty site.  
  
"Aheam, oh great talking to ya Stac, uhhh I mean Professor Vitale, but I must be going don't want to be late and all." she said very quickly almost panakie and ran out of the room, the door closing with a bang behind her. Traitor. thought Stacey. Inside the classroom Stacey looked at him for several seconds, turned and walked to her desk. She leaned her arms on the top of her desk and began to speak to him.  
  
"Look Professor Snape, if you came here to simply throw more rude comments about how I teach or my "inability" to learn potions then just turn around right now and leave. Personally I don't need to hear any more wise cracks about me because the next time something rude comes out of that mouth of yours a book will be thrown...at your head, believe me when I say I don't miss." He snorted and crossed his arms.  
  
"Miss Vitale now that you're done rambling I was sent here to tell you that Albus wishes to see you in his office now and am to escort you there. Now are you going to stand there or are you coming." he said in a clam smooth voice. Stacey didn't bother to answer she grabbed her book bag and followed Snape to Albus's Office. Stacey was wondering what Albus could possible want to talk to her about so soon. Then it hit her...He's going to get rid of me. he found a new muggle studies teacher and is going to take my memory away so i won't remember this place. I have to tell him I......." Hey why did we stop....oh were here." Stacey had ran in to Severus and from the way he looked at her wasn't all to happy with it either. he said the pass word... which was chocolate frogs....and had stepped to the side to allow her to enter.  
  
"Hey aren't you coming?"  
  
"No I have better things to do then to attend such meetings. Oh and Miss Vitale you still have detention at 8:00 p.m. with Miss Wallach. Don't be late otherwise you will be serving another one!"  
  
"Oh joy" she said and Snape disappeared from sight. Stacey was at the door and hestatited from entering. Was he really going to tell her that she was no longer wanted here and that it would be best if she left? She decided that standing at the door wasn't going to help and walked in. She saw Albus standing by a perch petting that strange orange bird. He looked at her and gave a smile.  
  
"Please Stacey do have a seat" He motioned with his hand to the soft leather chair in front of his desk." You're probably wondering why I have asked you here, well I've been thinkin...." Stacey stood up and with tears in her eyes she began to beg.  
  
"Oh God I knew it! You're going to get rid of me, you've found a new teacher and decided it wouldn't be good if a muggle who couldn't learn should stay in the school! Albus I have to tell you now before you obliveate me or whatever it is your going to do to my memory that I love Hogwarts! I don't want to leave! For some reason it's filling the gap that was put there when my mother died. It's like a second home to me, I was hoping to be the new teacher and have the tutoring on the side like at night or on the weekends. I mean you were telling me that you were looking for a good muggle studies teacher...well hear I am, came right from a closet and and...." She couldn't fight back the tears any more. She sat back down and began to cry. Dumbledore walked to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Dear child I wasn't planning on getting rid of you." Stacey lifter her head to look at him" I was acutely going to ask you to teach the class for us. It seems to me that you are quit capable of teaching the class and it's not everyday that teacher's fall from the sky into potion closets." he chuckled" But I take it then you want to stay with us and continue being a permant teacher." she nodded" Wonderful! I want you to write to your father and explain to him where you are and for him to send some clothes and supplies to you. Give it to me and I will owl it to him."  
  
"Yea easier said then done, what should I say to him. 'Hey dad I'm at a witchcraft and wizardry school. send me some clothes and try not to call the authorities.' oh yea I could just picture that." Stacey said followed by a sigh.  
  
"I have a feeling that he might take it better then you think" he gave a wink and Stacey just looked at him with a confused expression. She shook her head and decided not to question him. "Now about your arrangements, you will be moved to a room of your own, it will be near the Gryffindor tower and you may decorate it to your liking. Your office will be in your classroom and since you want to continue your studies, on weekends and some parts of the summer will be tutored by your new tutors. As we said tomorrow Severus will be taking you to Diagon alley to get you whatever supplies you may need. The school will pay for your supplies and you will be required to get at least one animal an Owl, Cat, or toad. You will be moving in your new rooms after you leave here. The house elves will move your things from the dorms to your rooms. Do you have any other questions Stacey?" She was wide eyed  
  
"Uhhh none that I can think of. no not now.... umm wait yes, how do I get to my rooms?"  
  
"Ah yes, Minerva will show you the way" He got up and went over to a fireplace, he grabbed some powder from a cup and threw it in the fire and the flames turned green. He then yelled into the fire "Minerva, Minerva are you there, If your not busy could I see you for a moment?" He then stepped back and a woman in green robes and a bun stepped out threw the flames and into the office. Stacey jumped and fell out of her chair. Both Professors looked at her like she grew two heads or something.  
  
"Miss Vitale are you quit all right, do you need to see Madam Pomfrey?" came the somewhat annoyed voice of McGonagall  
  
"No no I'm fine, it's not everyday I see some one step out of a fireplace. I'm still getting use to it all."  
  
"Minerva I would like you to show Stacey to her new rooms. She will be our new Muggle Studies teacher and she needs to be shown how to get to her rooms. Stacey I will also need to see you after Dinner to get your papers in order. Of corse you will have to tell Severus you will be a little late to detention."  
  
"Wait a minute, you mean I still have to go....Hold on how did you know about that?"  
  
"My dear, I know everything that goes on in this school." He said with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. Stacey merely smiled back and said her thank yous before leaving with Minerva. On her way there she though about what Dumbledore said. Why would her dad not take it bad or think her daughter was crazy. She was in a damn wizard school for crying out loud. She figured that meaby Albus knew what he was talking about; after all it was her mom's stupid book that brought her here in the first place.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~*  
After 10 or so minutes of walking they had reached Stacey's rooms. She was in awe. Even though the rooms were basically a part of Gryffindor the theme inside was blue. She didn't mind this at all anyway. Blue was her favorite color after all. Minerva had described the room to Stacey and was off to go to dinner. Since she wasn't hungry anyway she decided to take a bath. The Bathroom was much larger then the one she had at home and was surprised to find it had a four clawed tub. She saw that it already had shampoo and conditioner, along with soap and a bath brush. Well now at least she didn't have to smell like the closet she came out of.  
  
Stacey felt refreshed and a lot better. If it was one thing that she needed it was that bath. she found a towel and wrapped it around herself. Suddenly she heard a noise coming from her bedroom. She froze who or what could be in her rooms! And who ever it was better have a damn good explanation for being there that's for sure. Slowly she picked up the bath brush and quickly opened the door.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHH WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?"  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
Severus was walking in the halls, why would Albus want to hire her for a teaching position. No one even knows where she came from. She couldn't have Apparated because of the wards around Hogwarts. He couldn't help but think that she was working for Voldemort and that she wasn't whom she claimed to be. He had to get a good view of her left fore arm but how? Severus was zapped out of his train of thought from a scream down the hall.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHH WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" he took off and ran into the room where he had heard the cry for help. The sight he saw would have been halarous if it didn't involve one of the house elves being battered with objects. Stacey was ploped on her dresser with nothing more then a large blue bath towel around her screaming and throwing random objects at the poor house elf who by this point was popping in and out avoiding the things being thrown at it.  
  
"What, Miss Vitale, do you think you're doing to one of our house elves!" Stacey merely looked at him with wide eyes and was attempting to say something. Her mouth was moving but nothing was coming out. Realizing the state she was in began to blush a bright red. Just then the house elf piped up  
  
"Dobby, sir, was bringing Miss Stacey's clothes. Miss Stacey was scared by Dobby and began to scream. Dobby sorry, sir, Dobby sorry."  
  
"HOLY SHIT THE RAT THING TALKS!" She leapt off the dresser and was now at the far end of the room looking at the scared little elf. Severus ignored that last comment and turned to Dobby.  
  
"Dobby you may leave." Just as soon as he was finished saying that the elf left with a pop. Then turning to Stacey crossed his arm and raised an eyebrow. It just occurred to him that she was in nothing more then a towel and that he was wrong about the whole Death Eater thing. Stacey stood straight up and clenched her free hand into a fist.  
  
"Are you just going to stand there or do I have to kick you out myself!?" She said still blushing.  
  
"I heard your the new muggle studies teacher, is that true?" He continued clearly ignoring her.  
  
"Look this isn't the time to discuss thi......"  
  
"Are you or are you not, I will leave as soon as you answer my question."  
  
"OK, let's get something straight. I am NOT one of your students, so stop treating me like one. Secondly STOP STARING AT ME! And yes I am the new teacher." He snorted and turned on his heal to leave the room, but before he left he turned back.  
  
"Miss Vitale I do not conceder you as one of my students, but you still must attend the detention tonight." He walked out the door and popped his head in one more time." By the way, nice towel." as soon as he closed the door a loud thump could be heard aginst the other side. Stacey had thrown a book at it. Severus smirked to himself and went to dinner.  
  
*~~~~~~~*  
  
A.N: Yea yea I kno a looong chapter. For me anyway. I kno that it was Cornish pixies that Gilidory had, but what the hay...candy stealing elves are just as fun!!!! GO LITTLE ELVES...gee there goes one now. He he ok next is chapter five and you don't want to miss out on that ....detention with Snape... oh what fun is to drive everyone's favorite potions master insane...hey! ...ok enjoy 


	5. Stacey's Detention

Ch 5  
  
Stacey's Detention  
  
Oh that was just wonderful Snape in my room while I'm practically naked! Wonder if it'll get out and the whole school finds out, oh yea I can just imagine the rumors. "Stacey is sleeping with Snape" "Professor Vitale is Professor Snape's whore"....Great just Great. Though Stacey as she sat at the teachers table for dinner. She was just staring out into space reviewing the events that took place a little les then an hour ago and how she would have to apologize to the little elf that she scared half to death, suddenly she heard her name being said.  
  
"I am pleased to announce that our search for our new Muggel Studies teacher has come to an end. As soon as you all come back from the holiday Professor Vitale Will be your new muggel studies teacher." announced Dumbledore to the heard of students sitting at the four long tables. There was clapping at the Gryffindor, Huffelpuff, and Ravenclaw table ,but very few from the Slytherin table. Go figure... Figures that Snape's bunch wouldn't show much consideration for a muggel teacher. She though, but stood up anyway and smiled at everyone including Laurelle who was standing up, as short as she was, and waving. She felt at home, this is where she belonged.  
  
As soon as the food appeared Stacey sat back down and began to dig in. She hadn't really eaten lunch and was extremely hungry. People at the staff table gave her a Congratulations, well all except for Snape who was too busy glaring at everyone who looked at him and eating his own meal. She sighed and began to think. He really wasn't that bad looking now that she had time to stare at him. His hair was greasy yes, but it looked a little artificial, like he greased it up himself. The teeth were yellow but that could be do to all the tea he drinks. After all that's all people drink around here is tea. She bet that if he put a little effort into it then he could be quit the looker. It just then dawned on her what she was thinking about. Oh my god what was I thinking, He's mean, rude, arrogant, pale , ugly, but for some strange reason unusually hot and......AHHH stop! Stacey, Snap out of it, he's like what 31. Hello a little too old for you and...Oh gee there I go again even when I'm trying to tell myself to stop thinking about him I do it all wrong. She hadn't realized that during all this thinking that she had been staring at Snape, who by this point was giving her a questionable look.  
  
"Miss Vitale, care to tell me what you find to be so captivating that you cannot stop staring at my face." He said with a sly smirk that wasn't intended to be kind  
  
"I ummm....uhhhhh....errr..was..uhhhh...going to...uhhh..ummm." Oh great welcome to the wonderful world of hooked on phonics. With the way I'm going I'll get done saying what I want to say in a year or so. "Ummm... I have to go, I will uhhh see you at detention.....I will be late though, Dumbledore wants to go over some papers with me. umm ok bye bye." She left in somewhat of a hurry, all eyes on her. She felt so stupid. Stuttering like that she decided the best way to get that off her mind would be to go and write the letter to her father. He was going to be mad, she knew, But there wasn't a chance in the world she was going to leave. Not now, not after she had finally found a place to heal her broken heart that was left by her mother.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
In her rooms Stacey was trying to get use to the whole quill, parchment thing. Writing with a feather and a rolled up peace of paper was not her idea of normal, but would have to make due with it anyway. One hour and several quills later she was finally able to begin on her damn letter. Her handwriting wasn't that neat, but what did she care.  
  
Dad,  
  
Please don't worry about me. The strangest thing has happened to me and so far I have been able to make sense of it all. Anyway mom had this trunk in her room and I opened it. Inside was a plain small leather book that was at the bottom. I didn't know at the time that it would send me to a frigin castle. I opened it and was transported to a place called Hogwarts. Dad, this place teaches witchcraft and wizardry. No I'm not going insane...it's the god honest truth. The headmaster here thinks that you'll take this well, but knowing you your probably flipping out as you read this. I also have another little bit of information for you. I became a teacher here. It's a class that teaches them about our world. The nonmagical world; I will not be leaving here. For some strange reason it feels like home...It feels like mom... I know that sounds weird, but hey that's all I can tell ya. I need a favor from you. I am going to ask the headmaster to enchant a book bag and I need you to fill it up with all my clothes and belongings. Shampoo, computer, blankets basically my entire room including rugs, But not the mattress. Please don't worry, and don't call the cops!  
, Love ya Stacey  
  
Looking at the clock which now said 7:00, she gathered up the letter and headed for the door to Dumbledore's office. On the was she said hello to a few students and to some pictures, which nodded at her while she passed. The halls were quite, to quite. She had this feeling that someone was following her, or at least watching her. She turned around but no one was there. Behind her came a voice.  
  
"Hey sweet thing.catch!" came an echocy voice. Stacey turned around to confront the dead man who had called her "sweet thing". When she did she saw two water balloons come careening at her. She ducked just in time and heard the two balloons break on the wall behind her. Stacey got up and the smile on the ghost's face disappeared to be replaced with annoyance, disappointment, and anger.  
  
"You must be peeves. Well, let me tell you it takes a lot more then that to get me. Better luck next time" she continued walking and went straight threw the ghost who by this point was screaming at her.  
  
"HEY YOU CAN'T DO THAT.....COME BACK HERE!" She turned back around to stick her tong out at the bothersome ghost. Peeves shook with frustration and went threw a near by wall. She felt triumphant and continued on her way hoping to god that she didn't have to encounter him. From what she heard she figured the next thing he would attempt to do would be to change her dark brown hair into a different color. That would be the last thing she wanted, waking up and looking like Pink.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
Stacey reached the stone gargoyle. There was one little problem. She didn't know the password. She started naming random sweets.  
  
"Jelly beans, lollypops, sugar quill, chocolate frogs, ice-cream, cake, cotton candy, bubblegum, sweet tarts!" she gave up and was about to turn to leave when the gargoyle moved and the stare case appeared along with a smiling Dumbledore. Stacey was glad to see Dumbledore, she liked him. He reminded her of her grandfather on her dad's side. She didn't know her mom's dad, she never met him. For some strange reason when Dumbledore was around she seemed to forget all her problems and felt better about the day. She smiled back at him and he gestured with his hand to follow him.  
  
"I'm sorry Stacey but I suddenly remembered that I didn't tell you the new password." he lowered his voice" that's what happens when you turn 120." he gave a chuckled and Stacey just raised her eye brows.  
  
"120? You look nothing like it. I would have guessed you to be at least 83." Dumbledore smiled even brighter and turned to her as they got to his office.  
  
"Wizards naturally live much older then muggels do and are in our prime at around 50. My dear, Wizards can live to be 150 years old."  
  
"So a wizard who is around 31 isn't that old then right?" She watched as that twinkle in his eye came back and she blushed. For some reason it showed that he knew something and it suddenly made her feel uneasy. Oh crap...I hope he doesn't know who I'm talking about. Well then again he's the only young teacher around here that isn't old enough to be my grandparents. Feeling her tension he decided to quickly change the subject  
  
"Stacey I see that you have a note there I presume that It's the one for your father...Tea?" He gestured to a tea set on his desk.  
  
"Yes, please. The letter in my hand is for my father, but I have a small favor to ask of you. Would it be possible for you to enchant a book bag or something to store as much stuff as you want in it without filling it up and to have the ability to hold large objects...such as a computer? I understand those things aren't aloud here but since I'm not a student would it be possible to bend the rules for me. All electronic items would remain in my room and it wouldn't leave the......" Dumbledore held a hand up to silence her; she was rambling, and then gestured for sugar. She nodded.  
  
"Stacey It would be no trouble at all to have your computer or any other muggel electronic that you may process to be here. They will have to be enchanted though, we have no electricity and things such as those don't work here unless charmed. As for the book bag, that can be arranged as well. I will have one sent to your father before 9:00. Is that ok?"  
  
"Yea that would be great. Thanks so much." She said as she took a scone of the tray and popped it in her mouth.  
  
"Think nothing of it." After Dumbledore went over the contract and she signed it she headed off for dun dun dun... detention. (Scary music in the background with some lighting effects) To her this was stupid. Why should she have to clean out rat brains and such...she was a teacher. Yes she saw what was in those jars around his classroom...she wasn't stupid she knew exactly what those thing were. Slowly as she could she made her way to Snape's class to serve her first and last detention.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* Detention time and Stacey was set on making this a living nightmare for him and something that he would live to regret. She though that if Snape wanted to give her a detention to do his dirty work then at least she should have some fun. Laurelle and Stacey had it all planed out. They were more or less going to annoy the shit out of him; even if it meant Gryffindor would be in the negative number area on their house points, but what did they care it was all a stupid contest to them anyway. About half way through her descend to the dungeon, she ran into Laurelle who had a big, michivestious smile on her face.  
  
"Hey Laurelle, ready for detention with de smelly old potions teacher." she said in a playful tone.  
  
"Ready? hee hee hee you should be asking him that question, not me... I have a plan that will probably have the entire Gryffindor house hating us, but oh well. You're a teacher anyway you can make it up" Stacey rolled her eyes.  
  
"What do you plan to do? Knowing you it will probably get us blown up or seriously injured by Snape."  
  
"You'll see. All I need you to do is follow my lead." She started to sing " I am so smart I am so smart, S-M-R-T... I mean S-M-A-R-T." Laurelle giggled after she was done with her little tune.  
  
"You know...I'm not even gonna bother to ask." then she began to mumble to herself in a kind tone"Smrt? Crazy nut bag." Laurelle simply laughed at this.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
"Miss Wallach, Professor Vitale, Once again your late. 10 points from Gryffindor for not being prompt." Came the scowling voice from Snape. He was grading papers and didn't even bother to look up as he addressed them. Didn't I tell the moron I was going to be late in the first place. Stupid idiot.  
  
"Professor Snape how did you know it was us, I mean heck for all you know we could have been Professor Lockhart. I mean isn't he just dreamy." Laurelle gave a fake sigh and looked over at Stacey and gave a wink. So this was her superior plan, talk about a moron and how...blaa...wonderful he was. When Stacey glanced over at Snape she saw that meaby her plan wasn't so bad after all. Snape had a scowl so deep on his face that any first year student would have probably turned white with fear, but Laurelle just merely smiled while Stacey took a few steps back. Her face remained impassive, but her eyes showed fear and something else that clearly said "shit". Then out of the clear blue Snape stood up and glared at Laurelle.  
  
"Miss Wallach for you stupidity you will be cleaning up rat brains from several jars over there." He pointed to the left side of the room and Laurelle winced. Snape smiled." As for you, Professor, you will be cleaning out the cauldrons that were used to make a wart removal potion." That didn't seem so bad, but then she got one good look at the pussy substance coating the inside of the cauldrons. She gave one sharp look at him and then slowly made her way to the cauldrons, which were ironically next to the rat brains that Laurelle was cleaning.  
  
For twenty whole minutes the girls did nothing but bother Snape. Of corse they weren't stupid enough to do anything big, but did small things like hum off key and mention Lockhart. Whenever Snape would throw a rude comment at them, both girls would turn there heads to him and smile. Eventually Snape had, had enough and left momentarily, robes swishing behind him. As soon as the door behind him closed Stacey stood up and threw down a cauldron with a bang.  
  
"This is stupid! If I have to smile or mention Lockhart one more time I'm gonna crack!" spat Stacey, Laurelle got up from of the floor and stood in front of her.  
  
"Oh calm down Stac, it is working after all. Did you see the look on Snape's face when I mentioned Lockhart? Boy do I wish I had a camera." She smiled then had a horrible though. "Wouldn't it suck if he ever found out that we were doing this on purpose? He would kill us...dun dun dun... there would be no escape." She said the last part a little too dramatically.  
  
"Personally I could care less. I've gotten out of worse situations. What Ever Snape throws I can take." Stacey was still talking not noticing her face turn pale and her smile drop.  
  
"Uhhh Stacey"  
  
"I mean really even if he tied me up by my feet to the ceiling I could still get out."  
  
"Ummm Stac"  
  
"Ha I would love to se him tr....." A shadow loomed over her and she felt someone behind her "..y" She looked up from where she was standing to see a smirking Snape looming over her.  
  
Fuck!  
  
"So Professor Vitale, your that full of yourself?" with two shakes of his wand Stacey was hanging from a rope by one ankle three feet from the floor." You can leave detention when you get out of that. Miss Wallach you may leave." Laurelle shot Stacey a "I'm sorry, but better you then me" look and left with a hurry. She's still a traitor Though Stacey. She turned her attention back to Snape who was pulling up a chair and watching her.  
  
"You know you're a heartless bastard...right?'  
  
"So I've been told." He gave an evil smile and crossed his arms." Miss Vitale, You under estimate me. You should know not to play with a snake, you'll get bitten"  
  
"And you shouldn't pull a tiger by the tail, you'll get your neck ripped out" Stacey glared at him; she could have easily gotten out of this little "trap" of his, but decided to stick around.  
  
"Miss Vitale, you are hardly a Tiger, compared to what I have seen and the people I've met."  
  
"Look just because I can't use a wand doesn't mean I'm any less dangerous. You're a smart man, surly you could have figured that out"  
  
"You're not dangerous, you haven't escaped the bindings, and you pose no threat to me."  
  
"Who says I just don't enjoy your company and therefore am purposely not attempting to escape." she smiled annoyingly at him. He snorted.  
  
"It would be wise to curb your enthuasim, Miss Vitale."  
  
"Well fine then, if you don't want my company..." She reached up and grabbed the rope above her ankle. She pulled the loop lose and slit her leg out." I'll leave." Snape's eyes widened, but as soon as they did they turned back to impassive. "Good Night Professor Snape." she didn't expect him to even respond so she kept her back to him and made her way to the door. She stopped two feet short from the door when she heard his voice.  
  
"Good night Professor Vitale." His voice wasn't sarcastic, mean, or harsh. It was soft, she turned to him once she reached the door knob and nodded to him with a small smile and left. Severus was left alone with his thoughts. So she really could get out of the bindings as she said she could. So what in the gods was she thinking staying in my company any longer then necessary. I would have though her to up and leave as soon as she was put into the bindings. Doesn't that stupid girl know that I look like this to keep people like her away? Is she really that oblivious? There has to be something else going on. I will find out even if I have to bind her to a table to do it. (AN: When he says "Bind her to a table" It doesn't mean he's gonna rape her. Lol )  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
Tomorrow, Stacey though, Is going to begin a nightmare that will last for 24 hours. Well I will be spending time with Severus. Ahhhh, Stacey shut up. Stop thinking about him! I will not think about him! I will not think about him! I will not think about him! I will not think about him! I love his accent!......smrt.....I have to get over this thing for him.. It's just because I feel sorry for him that's all. Humph.. the slime ball. I'll just sleep it out... After all tomorrow begins the Christmas holiday, so I can sleep as late as I want.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
(KNOCK,KNOCK,KNOCK) There was a tapping at the door and it was driving Stacey mad. She didn't care if it was the damn president of the United States, there was no way in hell she was getting up. She threw the covers over her head and yelled.  
  
"GO THE FUCK AWAY! I'M NOT GETTING UP! IF YOU WISH TO KEEP YOUR HEAD CONNECTED TO YOUR BODY I SUGGEST YOU LEAVE!"(A.N: this is really how I am in the morning. Ask my mother.) Stacey heard a Click and the door open. Around two seconds later the covers were pulled from her body and there stood Severus. Stacey was in a pair of boxers and t-shirt. Her stuff had somehow arrived at around 10:00 last night. There was a letter, but she though it wise to open it later.  
  
"God Damit! Are you insane. Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to walk in uninvited? I don't wake up for another 3 hours! ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Stacey was standing up on her bed and looking at him straight in the face. She wasn't short, on the country, she was 5"9, but Severus had to be a good 6"0, so standing on the ground to look at him wouldn't be a good idea.  
  
"Believe me, I wouldn't have bothered, but today your suppose to go to Diagon Ally to get your supplies. You slept threw breakfast and we leave in an hour. Get ready." As soon as he left she laid back down on her bed, but the door opened again and in popped his head. "Oh and don't go back to bed or I will be forced to send Lockhart in hear to wake you."  
  
"You do that and you'll be looking for a new DADA teacher." She said with her head buried in a pillow. He had to chuckle at this.  
  
"Accutly I was hoping something like that would happen." He closed the door once more and she though meaby it would be a good idea to get up. The last thing she needed or wanted was Gilidory coming in here with one of his damn robes to blind her. She slumped out of bed slowly but gradually and made her way over to the mirror.  
  
"Oh my you look horrorible!" The reflection in the mirror said. Stacey though at first that she was delirious. Ok that's it no more junk food before I go to bed. "You should really comb your hair and wear some make up you would look much better."  
  
"What the fuc...." she said slowly and calmly looking at the mirror like it was some foreign object she'd never seen before...well come to think of it.. it was.  
  
"And I'm sure your handsome friend who was in here a little while ago would think the same" Stacey automatically came out of her "oh look at me I'm shocked" mood to "It's time to kill" mood.  
  
"Look here you stupid piece of glass, if you don't remain quite while I get dressed, you'll be shattered into a zillion pieces...GOT IT." the reflection gulped. "Good". That thing didn't know what it was talking about.. She didn't look that bad. Stacey wasn't as skinny as a stick, but then again she wasn't chubby either. She was more toned then anything else. Sports will do that. She had a weird eye color too, they were yellow-green. Her dark brown hair reached her mid back and was thick. She considered herself to be pretty. "Humph, dumb mirror, doesn't know what it's talking about!" she mumbled.  
  
Thirty minutes later she was dressed. Since it was cold out she wore a heavy hooded sweatshirt and jeans. Hello and welcome to the game show 'spot the muggel'. Stacey was hungry and though it best to go to the great hall to grab a bite to eat.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
After grabbing a bagel and a really bad coffee from the house elves in the kitchen, she ran into the last person she ever wanted to see.....Gilidory. He was still wearing those bright robes that made Stacey's eyes hurt. He fell in step with her and believe me that is not an easy thing to do considering she was a quick walker.  
  
"Good Afternoon Stacey, My you look lovely today. I've heard that you and Severus are going to Diagon ally." she looked at him and gave a fake but sweet (As sweet as she could be anyway) smile and took a sip of her coffee.  
  
"Yes, and why are you sucking up Gilidory... What is it you want? Considering I look like I just woke up." She gave him an evil stare.  
  
"Accutly I was hoping that after you got back from your little trip with Sev that you would shower me with your presence to a drink at the three broom sticks." She was temped to take her hot coffee and stick it down his pants, but though it best not to. Ha her go with him! It was almost funny, almost. She stopped and turned to him smile gone.  
  
"Accutly I'm going to have to decline. Umm I am far too busy. Thanks anyway." He looked like he had been hit with a soccer right in the gut. She gave another smile and walked into the staff room. He followed her still persistent on that date.  
  
"Perhaps then you would like to accompany me to the Yule ball tomorrow? I'm sure you would like to go" Stacey ignored him and continued to eat her bagel. Basically all the teachers were in there and they all heard what the two were talking about. Including Snape who put down the magazine he was reading to look at the Idiot that was trying to whoo over the stubborn American..  
  
"Umm I'm sorry I'm uhh going with a friend. I'm sure you can find someone else can't you?"  
  
"Why yes,but I .."  
  
"Good, now please allow me to eat in peace." Gilidory gave a bow and left the room, as he did Stacey gave a sigh and continued to eat her bagel.  
  
"What was that all about, dear." said a plump lady with dirt under her finger nails.  
  
"Oh god, he was trying to ask me for a date. He's not my type, I don't date people who have an i.q. lower then a rock." the plump lady giggled and took a sip of her tea.  
  
"I'm surprised, usually witches from all over swoon over him. Woman love him."  
  
"Yes, but I'm also not an air head. I don't believe in melting around men. I go for what's inside the book, not the cover. The man has no brains, and therefore is not attractive to me." Severus snorted  
  
"That's not what you and Miss Wallach were saying during detention. From what I understand you adore him." Stacey stared at him for a second not quit sure what he was talking about. Then it hit her and she began to laugh uncontrollably. Severus raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh god you kill me, you do realize that we were only saying that to annoy you, right? We really don't feel that way about him.. As a matter of fact, we hate him as much as you do." Severus's face was impassive, he picked his magazine up again and began to read it. Stacey was done laughing and decided to leave for her office. She figured since she had time to kill she should go set up her computer.  
  
Twenty or so minutes later Severus walked into Stacey's office. He was about to say something, but stopped when he saw the computer plopped on Stacey's desk. She was under the table trying to connect wires to the tower. It was a Black Dell Demention 4300s Series and her pride and joy. Realizing that he was standing there she got up from the floor and wiped the dust off her pants.  
  
"Time to leave already? Well ok let me get my gloves and my book bag." She went into the classroom to get her things. Meanwhile Severus though it best to take a look at the thing that took up half her desk. It really was advanced looking. He moved over to it and tapped it a couple of times with his wand. Nothing happened.  
  
"You know it's not hooked up yet." He stood up straight still keeping his eyes on the computer, not turning around.  
  
"How do you know which wire goes where?" He asked as if he didn't really care.  
  
"Well I know that computer like the back of my hand; it's easy for me to put it together. I know what each wire does and where it goes on the tower. That's the tall thing to your right." he raised an eyebrow then turned to her.  
  
"Come on. We have to get going now If we want to make it to the portkey."  
  
"Portkey? What's that?"  
  
"I'll explain it to you later."  
  
"Ok what ever you say." she said rolling her eyes at him. he just looked at her in annoyance.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
A.N: Oh goody, if your wondering about the song Laurelle was singing, it's an inside joke between me and her. (For those of you who are now just catching on, yes we are real people!) it was a song that Bart Simpson sang and I just got the song stuck in my head and it was playing over and over and over and I just needed to get it out of my head. I never even though I would make it this far in my story...I know the plot is weird, but I'm just making this up as I go along....in the story, don't think Laurelle is a midget, she's really like 5"2 5"3. Around there. Please r&r. TTFN ta ta for now. 


	6. Meeting The Devil

Disclaimer: You know the ususlly. I don't own any of this bla bla and the only thing I do own is Stacey and Laurelle.  
  
Ch6  
  
Meeting The Devil  
  
Stacey and Severus both walked outside to a Tree. He picked up a stick and asked her to hold it, as did he. She looked at him as if he were nuts. She was out there holding a stick with him. She couldn't imagine a more stupid moment then this. Oh wait yes she could, Gilidory asking her for a date. Before she knew it that familiar sucking motion was pulling her and in a blink of an eye they were at a small road with people and buildings everywhere. It took her awhile to come to her senses and for her to get her ass off the dirt road.  
  
"WEEEEEEE that was fun!" She squealed. It was his turn to look at her as if she were nuts.  
  
"Did you hit your head along the way?" he said coldly. The small smile was wiped off her face to be replaced with annoyance.  
  
"No, did you lose your sense of humor? Oh wait, I guess you can't lose what you don't have." The small smile was placed back on her face and she stood up. She turned to look at her bottom and saw dust all over it. "Gee great, look I'm a mess, you know you could have warned me about the harsh landing." He gave an evil grin.  
  
"Now where would the fun be in that? Come, the quicker we get this done with this the sooner I can be away from you Miss Vitale." Stacey stood there while he began to walk away assuming that she'd follow. Crossing her arms Stacey yelled.  
  
"STOP" Severus turned to face her with a look of annoyance.  
  
"What now Miss Vitale"  
  
"Stop calling me Miss Vitale. I do have a first name. Call me Stacey please, after all your not a student."  
  
"No"  
  
"No?"  
  
"Miss Vitale we are not on a first name basis with one another yet, nor do I ever wish to be on that level with you" He was about to turn again  
  
"If you don't.."She gave an evil smile" I'll refer to you as Sevvy from now on" He got up right in her face.  
  
"Don't ever call me that!" her smile grew  
  
"Then call me Stacey and that word shall never pass from my lips again...Sevvy"  
  
"Fine, but only in private. Or when it's just the two of us." He said threw gritted teeth. This was something she had to tell Laurelle when she got home, Stacey beating Snape at something she assumed he did best....Blackmail. Then realizing that he was atlas 20 feet in front of her, stopped laughing and ran to catch up with him. When she finally fell into step with him she took a look around. Diagon ally was huge and magical. Every which way she turned there would always be something new. Owls in cages, Broom sticks, wands, potion ingredients, ect, ect.  
  
"What are we gonna do first" she asked  
  
"First we are going to go into Gringotts for money that Dumbledore has given you for supplies and then we find you an animal. Why He suggested you one I'll never know. Teachers aren't made to get an animal. We have a choice, as do the students." The last word he said couldn't have been said with more hate.  
  
"Why do you teach if you don't like children?"  
  
"Pardon me, where did you come up with such an asinine question?"  
  
"Well you seem to just make the lives of people who aren't at the age of 20, miserable. I've been in your classes. It seems to me that you can't stand to be around them."  
  
"No, you are wrong. I cannot stand to be around stupidity and children, evidently, seem to be in supply of that. As for me being a teacher, that is none of your concern."  
  
"Then why teach?"  
  
"Did you not just hear me. That is none of your concern! If you were to ever know I grantee you that it would be the last thing you would ever want to hear out of me!"  
  
"Eeeeek!" Stacey had totally ignored Snape and was now forcing her attention on something laying in the street. A kitten, wich appeared to be no more then 2 months old was sitting in the snow near a building.  
  
"Woman are you even paying attention!" Scowled Severus who had almost lost Stacey as she ran past 4 people to reach the other side of the street to wear the kitten lay. "Stacey! What are you doing?!"  
  
"Awww how cute. Umm do you think it would be all right if I could possibly have a kitten instead of a cat?" She held up the kitten, which had gray and white patches, in front of Severus. He glared at the kitten, then at her.  
  
"No"  
  
"Why not"  
  
"Because, That thing that you hold in your hands is fifthly and probably diseased infested. You are not bringing that creature back to Hogwarts" Her smiled stiffened into a thin line.  
  
"Oh and like that crow you own isn't dirty? It's nothing a bath couldn't cure. And as for being diseased infested, I highly doubt that. I have lived with animals all my life and am smart enough to know if it were sick or not. Besides the rules said for me to have either a cat, toad, or a owl. A kitten is just a baby form of a cat so there." She stuck her tong out at him.  
  
"Don't force me to cut that tong out with a knife and place it in one of my jars" He smirked. She drew her tong back in her mouth and turned to hear her name being said.  
  
"STACEY, HEY STAC, OVER HERE" It was Laurelle she was carrying a lot of bags which appeared to be holding gifts, candy, etc. Stacey ran over to her friend, forgetting about Severus and gave her a hug with her free hand, the other holding the kitten.  
  
"Hey Laurelle what are you doing here?" she smiled  
  
"Oh you know, getting some Christmas shopping done and to get a dress for the ball with my boyfriend Rob."  
  
"You have a boyfriend? Ohh where is he? You never told me about this mysterious man?"  
  
"He should be around here somewhere. By the was what are you doing here, I though you Weren't going to come until after the Yule Ball?"  
  
"Acutely I'm here with Snape. Dumbledore said I had to get a cat, toad, bla bla bla. You know what I mean. Anyway I found this little guy in the street, sitting in the snow." Laurelle squealed and dropped her bags to hold the little kitten.  
  
"Wait so you're here with that shit head Snape." Just then Snape had come up behind Laurelle much like he did when they were both in detention.  
  
"What was that Miss Wallach?" He said in a calm manor. Laurelle spinned around to face him.  
  
"Umm uhh a curse word I'll never say ever again, sir." Snape kept a straight face while Stacey giggled.  
  
"20 points from Griffindor for your mouth, Miss Wallach."  
  
"Gee, can we go down any lower. We have like what? -119 points" Giggled Stacey.  
  
"Come now Miss Vitale we have to get the rest of your supplies." He said in a voice that most first years would shiver at.  
  
"Ok, ok. Well see you during the ball Laurelle."  
  
"Bye bye Stac, Good day Professor Snape."  
  
He nodded his head and both him and Stacey left to do the rest of their shopping.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
By the end of the Afternoon, Stacey had gotten most of her shopping done. She really didn't need much... Quills, ink, parchment, Books, Pet supplies. Most of it was her Christmas shopping.. A Rememberal for Laurelle, and a lot of sweets for Dumbledore. She even managed to get a Potions book for Snape, even though he probably already had it and some other things for the rest of the staff that she knew. The only thing she had to get was some floo powder. It wasn't the ordinary powder that most witches and wizards used. Dumbledore said that she would have to get a special order. One that was only made for the system that works at Hogwarts. Snape and Stacey were on their way there. Over the period that they had spent together that day he seemed to warm up to her. Well as warm as Snape could get anyway. There was something about him that she couldn't figure out. He seemed to distance himself away from everybody. She was thinking about what his past was like when she was zapped back to reality. Snape had stopped and once again she slammed into his back face first.  
  
"Hey would you stop doing that, why did you sto....oh" Standing in front of Severus was a Tall man with long blonde hair that was so light it looked almost white. His clothes weren't any better then his hair. She could tell that he looked like someone with power and money. He also didn't look to friendly from the way he was looking at her. Stacey knew exactly who he was.....Malfoy. From what Laurelle had told her, this was not the man you want to meet in a dark ally. He looked at Severus and gave a grin that even the devil would cringe at.  
  
"Hello Severus, who is your friend?" He gestured toward Stacey  
  
"Lucius, this is Stacey Vitale our new muggle studies teacher." She stole a look at Severus. The look on his face was one she had never seen before. It looked almost playfully evil.  
  
"Ah yes my son has told me all about you. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lucius Malfoy. And I believe you teach my son. Is that correct?"  
  
"Umm yes" She was nervous. He shot a look back at Severus.  
  
"Severus, Will Miss Vitale be joining one of our .Parties?" He said the last part with a wide smirk and sarcasm. Severus held an impassive face, but his eyes told everything. He was nervous and when someone like him becomes nervous that is the sign to turn heal and run. Stacey was scared, whatever this party thing was, she wanted no part of it.  
  
"Yes, but not for awhile Lucius."  
  
" Good good, well I really must be leaving." He grabbed her hand and kissed it. She wished she could break his nose much like she did with Lockheart, but though better of it. He nodded his head at Severus and left. As soon as he was out of sight Severus grabbed Stacey by the shoulder and leaned down to her level.  
  
"Stacey it's very important that you don't go near Lucius ever again. He's a very dangerous man and you will be harmed if you are ever left alone with him. Do I make myself clear?" She gave a gulp. He was talking to her as if she were a child.  
  
"Crystal"  
  
"Good" He let go of her and they finished the rest of their shopping.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
A.N: (Sniffle) Hey guys I read your reviews and I am happy that everyone likes my story.I didn't think that ne one would even bother to read it, but once again I Prove myself wrong.keep up with the reviews and I will dish out the chapters. 


	7. Black & White

Ch7  
  
Black and White  
The little kitten was nothing to mess with when it came to giving him a bath. Stacey soon realized that he came fully equipped with a set of claws and teeth. This is just great, I look like I just came out of a war. Meaby it wasn't such a good idea to give him a bath. She though as she dried him off with a towel  
  
"Now little guy the only thing you need is a name. Humm how about patches. No that's a name for a dog. Well let's see, looks like someone sprayed you with salt and pepper. Hey that's it, I'll call you Pepper." Pepper looked at her. He was a lot cleaner now that all the dirt was gone. And his coat wasn't corse anymore. Dumbledore said that she may have the kitten, despite all the facts of why she shouldn't that were being stated by Snape. If he can have a raven then there is no reason why I can't have a kitten.  
  
Laurelle was supposed to visit her that morning. She had told her that she had an early Christmas gift to give her. Wonder what this early surprise is supposed to be. Knowing her it's probably a gag gift that she just couldn't wait till Christmas to give. More then likely I'll have my hair turned green or something. That is if peeves doesn't get to me first. She gave a loud sigh and continued to dry off pepper who by this point was trying to get away.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* Just before she was getting ready to leave for lunch there was a nock on the door and a voice behind it.  
  
"Hey Stac, open the door before I throw your gift out the window." Stacey walked over to the door and opened it with a smile on her face. In Laurelle's hands was a large package. It looked soft so she assumed it was a pillow or a sweater. Laurelle walked in and plopped the package on Stacey's bed.  
  
"Aren't ya goanna tell me what you got."  
  
"Stac, you're no fun at all. Before you open my gift I have to ask ya, are you going to the Yule Ball tonight." Stacey hadn't though about it much. She wasn't planning on going. For one she didn't want to see Lockhart and two she didn't have a dress. She didn't own any dresses. What would she need them for? She didn't go out to dinner parties, dances, or fancy restaurants. There was no need. She gave a sigh and looked at her friend  
  
"No I hadn't really though of going. I have no dress and I was asked by someone to attend with him at the ball." Laurelle was confused.  
  
"OK stop, if someone asked you to go to the ball, then why is that an excuse not to go." Stacey gave a look of disgust before answering. Just then the mirror behind her answered in a mocking tone.  
  
"Because it was Lockhart who had asked her."  
  
"DIDN"T I TELL YOU TO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!?" there was no response from the mirror, only Laurelle's laughter could be heard.  
  
"Are you serious? Lockhart! Oh my god, I can see why you don't want to go."  
  
"Gee thanks for being so supportive LAURELLE!" She said sarcastically.  
  
"Your welcome" she smiled "That' besides the point. Your going to the ball weather you like it or not. I paid too much for this gift for you to say no." Stacey eyes her suspiciously before heading over to the package. Slowly she undid the ribbon and removed the wrapping. She gasped as she unfolded a beautiful dress robe that was as white as the snow. It was a one piece dress that came with a cloke that was just as white. The neck line was a little low but Stacey didn't mind. The bottom part was puffy almost like a prom dress but made out of velvet. The hooded cloke had a gold clasp in the front that was in the shape of a Unicorn. The cloke itself came down to her feet and was covered in a glittery material, which Laurelle informed her was stardust and would not come off of the cloke, it too was also made out of a heavy velvet.  
  
"Laurelle, how much was this? There is no way I can accept it."  
  
"You have to, besides I have one like it that I'm wearing in a dark blue."  
  
"Are you serious, how did you afford this?"  
  
"You know my family is wealthy, But we don't flonder it around like the Malfoy."  
  
"Yuck! Please don't say that name to me."  
  
"Why! What did that little twit Draco do?"  
  
"No, it wasn't Draco. I had the misfortune of meeting his father." Stacey cringed  
  
"LUCIOUS! You do know that he is a death eater right! Stacey do you realize that he is a BIG muggel hater! If I were you I would do everything in my power to stay away from him!"  
  
"Funny, that's what Sev...I mean Snape said."  
  
"Well for once I agree that he's right....wait a second. When did you two become on a first name basis with each other? hummm" Stacey knew exactly what she was trying to get at.. She turned red, but not from anger.  
  
"Laurelle it's not like that. We work together, and besides he's 31! 31, He's a lot older then I am." Laurelle began to smile" Don't give me that look, I know exactly what your thinking."  
  
"Stacey, you like him don't you! You never said you didn't. Mind me asking why, I mean he isn't the most, uhhh, attractive guy in the world."  
  
"Wait a second I never said I liked him so how can you assume....."  
  
"Stacey, I can read you like a book. Now stop stalling and tell me why." Stacey bent her head down in defeat and sighed  
  
"Well I don't know exactly, I can't give you a solid answer. It just has something to do with the way he is."  
  
"The way he is? Stacey how inarticulate of you. My senile grandmother could have phrased it better then you." Oh great now she's picking on my use of words.  
  
"Well what do you want me to tell you? I like his body and his ummmm uhhh tool?" Laurelle threw her head back and laugh "Well what?" Stacey giggled "I mean I can't tell you why, if I ever come up with the words I'll tell ya...ok."  
  
"Fine, Fine... You know we really should get to lunch before it ends. And since you do eat like a cow ..." They got up and moved toward the door.  
  
"Hey what is that suppose to mean hummmm?" Laurelle opened the door  
  
"Oh nothing," She said innocently. "Just that I wouldn't want to eat near you, I might lose a hand." She punched Laurelle in the arm and gave a small giggle  
  
"Ouch, watcha do that for."  
  
"Serves you right for calling me a cow." They both laughed and went to lunch  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
Stacey was having a hard time ignoring Gilidory. He was still persistent in getting that date with her. As tempting as it was she knew that she simply couldn't take a bat and lug him over the head. He's like a damn shadow that doesn't go away even when it's dark out. Doesn't he have anything better to do then to talk about his awards and damn books? Meaby I can slip away and.......  
  
"So Stacey will you be attending the Yule ball?" Asked Gilidory......Again.  
  
"Yes, but as I said before I'm not going with you." She gave a fake smile and went back to her dinner.  
  
"You know my dear there are ways of forcing you to go." He whispered in her ear which made Stacey jump and clench her fist.  
  
"Magic? Hah, Lockhart if you think threatening me is a wise action then by all means go ahead and do so, but know this, I am not someone you want to go and mess with. What ever you start, I will finish." He gave a look of astonishment.  
  
"My dear, that wasn't meant as a threat at all. I was simply proposing an agreement." Stacey felt a little stupid there for a moment, but quickly got over it.  
  
"Oh, ummm sorry there, but once again there is nothing I could want from you that you could use in a compromise."  
  
"Well if you change your mind, just so you know Stacey, I was the winner 5 times in a row for witch weekly's best dancer award."  
  
"That's good for you." She gave two thumbs up toward him with a fake smile. She turned quickly away to face the person to her left. Crap. I forgot it was Severus. Umm ok Stacey quickly think of an excuse.  
  
"Miss. Vitale is there something you want? Is there a reason once again why you're staring at me?" He said taking another sip of his tea.  
  
"I don't want to talk to...him..."she gestured with her head to Gilidory beside her, but he was to wrapped up in a conversation with poor Minerva to pay much attention to what she said. "And I wasn't really staring at you. I was kinda lost in my train of though there and I forgot where I was looking"  
  
"Do you really expect me to believe that? I've heard the students come up with better material."  
  
"Well it' the truth so if you don't believe me then......" Lockhart had tapped Stacey on the shoulder to get her attention.  
  
"I will be picking you up at 7:30 tonight for the dance."  
  
"No, I'm not going with you Gilidory and that's final!" She was red with anger at him.  
  
"Who may I ask is this friend you're going with? There is no need to be shy my dear; I understand that it may be hard to process the fact that a famous author like me is asking you on a date." He pointed to himself then smiled. Stacey was looking around the room to see who he was talking to. What part of No didn't he understand?  
  
"Excuse me" Stacey stood up "I have tons of work to do. And then I must get ready for tonight....Wipe that smile off your face Gilidory, If I catch you anywhere near my door, you'll be missing several teeth from that smile of yours." Gilidory looked a little confused while Snape seemed to be amused by that little statement. She left thinking that this was going to be something that se would surly never forget.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
It was 6:30 and she had an hour to go before she would have to confront everyone in that room. Laurelle had come 20 minutes before to do Stacey's hair. She wasn't even dressed yet. She was in a pair of sweatpants and a t- shirt. Her hair was wet because she had gotten out of the shower and was pacing around waiting for Laurelle. The door flew open and in popped Laurelle carrying a big box of makeup and hair pins.  
  
"Don't you knock?"  
  
"Nope, you open your door to me once and that's my invention to come in as I please." Laurelle smiled "Ok sit; I'm going to do your hair first then your makeup." She sat down in the chair closest to the mirror.  
  
"You say one word mirror, and out the window you go. Got that?" the Mirror gulped  
  
"Good." She turned to Laurelle who was taking out her wand. "What do you need your wand for?" Laurelle rolled her eyes  
  
"To dry your hair. I can't do anything if It's wet now can I?" Stacey looked a little worried, the last thing she needed was to have Laurelle say the wrong words and her head blow up. Wonder how that would come over with her father? "Stop looking so nervous! I'm not going to set your hair on fire. You'll look gorgeous by the time I get done with you."  
  
"Oh yea that was reassuring, Laurelle"  
  
"Wasn't it though" Laurelle was done drying her hair and reached for the makeup. "Mind me asking why you left the great hall so quickly? You know Snape was watching you leave the whole time. I'm telling you Stac, he has the hots for you."  
  
"Yea ok sure Laurelle and my name is Merlin."  
  
"Why hello Merlin, I'm Laurelle. Pleased to meet you."  
  
"Cut the theatrics. Look he doesn't even call me by my first name unless he has to. What makes you think he has something for me? Besides he's as cold as a rock. A man like that likes no one, not even himself" Laurelle raised her hand as if she was going to do a big speech but she pointed to her eyes instead. "Ok, what does that have anything to do with it?"  
  
"It's called observation. I've noticed a few things when it comes to Snape. One he doesn't look anyone in the eyes except when he's looking to intimidate or scare the shit of them, well with the exception of Dumbledore. Anyway I've noticed some things. He usually always looks you in the eyes and talks to you more then he does to the staff. I grantee you that you will at least get one dance out of him tonight." Stacey had to laugh at this.  
  
"Bah...What makes you think he dances? I'm sorry but I can't imagine him dancing at all."  
  
"Hold still, do you want your eye shadow to be on your cheek?"  
  
"Sorry, I bet you 5 gallons your wrong And I'll throw in a box of chocolate frogs as well." Laurelle smiled at this.  
  
"Ok, But if I'm right, I also get a sugar quill."  
  
"You're on."  
  
"Oh and one more thing, If he asks you to dance DON"T SAY NO, ok." Stacey mumbled.  
  
"Damn, how do you do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Seem to be able to read people so well?"  
  
"Ehh it's what I do best." She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "Stop moving!"  
  
"Sorry"  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
About half an hour later Laurelle was done and Stacey went inside the bathroom to change. Stacey took one look at herself and smiled. She almost didn't recognize herself when she looked in the bathroom mirror. She had never looked so.....pretty. Laurelle did a really good job with the hair and make up. Her eye shadow was white with a little bit of black eyeliner at the bottom. her lips were a natural color and the blush was a light brown. Laurelle had also done a nice job with her hair. It was set in a lose bun which she promised Stacey would not fall out because it was enchanted with magic. Stacey had some lose curly strands of brown hair randomly pulled to give a soft effect to her face. Stacey was happy but wouldn't come out of the bathroom.  
  
"Stacey come out I wanna see my work!" Yelled Laurelle  
  
"No, I'm still trying to decide who this person in the mirror is."  
  
"I know who she is! Her name is Stacey and she needs to come out so she can lose a bet!" Stacey decided Laurelle was right and came out of the bathroom. Laurelle's jaw dropped. "Meaby I should have worn the white dress." Stacey smiled and turned around in a full circle.  
  
"What do you think?" Laurelle put her finger to her chin and tapped her foot on the ground.  
  
"It's missing something...but what?"  
  
"Well shoes for one" Stacey picked up the hem of her dress to reveal bare feet.  
  
"Oh yea I almost forgot, these are my cousins. Try not to break them or she will hunt you down. Believe me it's happened." Laurelle reached into a big old box of makeup to reveal a pair of white open toed shoes. It had two straps. One that went across the ankle and another that went across her foot. They were more like platforms then heals, but they went at a slanted angel that gave her an inch more of height.  
  
"I can just imagine myself tripping and cracking my scull open."  
  
"Eww save me the gory details. You won't trip and break anything because the shoes are enchanted so you won't lose you balance. Oh great Ice princess." Laurelle took a dramatic bow  
  
"Cut that out would ya. You look like Lockhart when you do that." Stacey laughed while Laurelle stuck her tong out.  
  
"Hummm it's still missing something." Stacey moved over to the mirror and began to stare.  
  
"I know you told me not to talk, but might I suggest a necklace." A little light went off inside Stacey's head. She knew exactly which one she would use. She walked over to a draw and pulled out a red velvet box. Inside was a gold chain and a pendent at the end that looked like a unicorn horn. She put it on and turned to look at Laurelle.  
  
"What do you think?"  
  
"Wow, it matches with your clasp. Is that yours?"  
  
"It was my mothers, before she passed away." Stacey looked at the ground.  
  
"I'm sorry; if your mother could see you know I bet she would be proud"  
  
"Yea I know, Hey come-on lets get to the ball. I don't want to be late."  
  
"Ok After you Unicorn Queen"  
  
"Stop that!"  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
Stacey and Laurelle were at the doors to the great hall. They were a little early but knew that most of the staff would be there. Stacey paused and Laurelle stood at her side. She was nervous, but not because of Lockhart, because of Snape. Laurelle put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave a nod. She wasn't exactly sure what Snape would do or how he would react. Would he think she was doing this all for him, or even worse Lockhart? Well that though just made her sick to her stomach.  
  
"I'm not to sure about this Laurelle."  
  
"Stac I'll be there every step of the way. Besides I'm going to need that money when you lose."  
  
"Hardy har har. Can we get this over with?" Laurelle pushed the doors open and they both walked in. The great hall was beautiful. The ceiling was enchanted so it was giving off the illusion it was snowing which just made her dress stand out more. She glanced around the room. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at her. Snape's mouth was open, but he quickly composed himself and Lockhart looked as if he was drooling. Laurelle leaned over and whispered in her ear  
  
"Umm add on another chocolate frog would ya." Stacey elbowed her and they both made there way inside the great hall. All four of the giant tables were gone and everyone was dancing. The music sounded a little old fashioned to her, like something that was in Mozart's era and most of the teachers were standing aginst the walls supervising the students who appeared to be having the time of their lives.  
  
"So where is this boyfriend of yours? I wanna meet him." Laurelle began to scan around the room in hopes of locating him amongst the hundreds of people dancing.  
  
"Umm uhhh, oh there he is, come-on I want you to meet him." Laurelle took off and Stacey was finding it very hard to keep up. She finally caught up to her and was suddenly face to face with someone who reminded her of a....well she didn't know exactly.. Boy aren't I out of the loop? "Stacey, meet Rob. Rob this is Stacey." They shook hands and Stacey looked at Laurelle. "Rob is in Ravenclaw and is in his last year...like me... and is training to be in the Ministry of Magic."  
  
"I'm hoping to kick that git, Fudge out of his position. I'm pretty sure it shouldn't be too hard.....Hey aren't you the new Muggel Studies teacher?"  
  
"Yea, why?"  
  
"Oh no reason in particular....Just heard some rumors that say your going out with Lockhart? By the way that's not true is it?" Stacey threw her head back and laughed.  
  
"Aren't you Ravenclaws suppose to be known for your intelligence? No I'm not dating Lockhart, although he has been trying for some time now to get a date." He gave a chuckle and then turned to face Laurelle.  
  
"My dear shall we dance?" Rob offered his elbow and Laurelle looked at Stacey. It seemed she was torn between staying at her friend's side and dancing with the one she loved. Stacey shook her head and made a shooing movement with her hand.  
  
"You two get going and have fun. I'll be fine avoiding Lockhart, don't you worry. Now scoot before I take away house points for being stubborn." Laurelle smiled and mouthed a thank you before accepting his arm and walking on to the dance floor. Aww soo cute! She though and was about to walk off the dance floor when the last person she wanted to see tonight, Blocked her way. Gee wonder what he wants?  
  
"Stacey, I must say you look Devine tonight. May I have this dance?" Lockhart held out a hand and Stacey groaned. God I wish a bolt of lighting would come down now and pummel me at the place I stand! She figured if she didn't dance with him at least once she would never get rid of him. Before she was able to answer she noticed that Gilidory's attention was focused on something behind her. A smooth and calm voice came from behind and she knew exactly who it was.  
  
"Miss Vitale would you care to dance?" close enough She turned around to see Severus standing there with his hand extended much like Lockhart's was. Stacey accepted it.  
  
"Yes, I would love to." They walked to the middle of the dance floor and began to waltz. "I didn't know you could dance. Aren't you full of surprises?" He stiffed a small chuckle and looked into her eyes.(A.N: Yea ok I know It's getting a little mushy, but hey Severus Snape does have a heart...right?)  
  
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Stacey. And I assure you most you won't wish to know." Whoa...what was in that punch? Did I just hear correctly or did he just use my first name? It would have been a sight to see them together on the dance floor. Severus in his black robes, hair, and eyes. Stacey in her white robes and dark Brown hair. You could tell there were two different people. Night and day, Ying and Yang......Black and white. "Oh and by the way. You are now in my dept." Her eyes grew big,  
  
"What, how am I in your dept? You didn't do anything to help me." Severus gave a small snort and gave an evil smile (Well it was sort of a smile...as big as he could give anyway,)  
  
"Ah, but you see that is where your wrong Stacey. I am sure you would have loved to dance with Lockhart, you know I hear he's a good dancer for somebody who has two left feet." Not only did she lose the bet with Laurelle, but now she had to pay off the dept she owed to Severus. This was turning into a inserting night. What next.....a flying pig. After giving it some though she decided that meaby it wouldn't be so bad after all. She was a teacher after all not a student. The worst he could do was help him grade papers.  
  
"Fine, but on one condition."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm going to need a partner to assist me in my demonstration for the karate lessons. So I was wondering if you could help me?"  
  
"As long as it doesn't require me to make a mockery of myself."  
  
"Good. Don't worry it can't be any worse then the little demonstration you and Lockhart are suppose to perform." He stared at her. How did she know about that?  
  
"Just so you know, the teachers have a bet going on who's going to get their ass kicked. Personally I put in 10 stickles saying that Lockhart is going to get his butt blown into the wall." Well that cleared things up for him. He should have figured there was a bet going around. He was also sure that the students had a few going on as well.  
  
"Mind telling me why you did such a childish thing. I would have expected that from a student."  
  
"I swear you have no fun," She rolled her eyes " Don't you do anything besides roam around and take points off from every house but your own?" He glared at her  
  
"What I do is my business and mine alone, Miss Vitale." Oh great now we're back to the Miss Vitale crap again. Why doesn't he just stick with one or the other? She was about to respond, but before she could the song ended. They stopped dancing and he stepped away and gave a bow before walking away. Stacey though it best to go to the garden. Now that Severus was on the other side of the room it would be fair game for Gilidory. She really did not want to dance with him.  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
It was snowing outside and the garden was glowing with thousands of tiny, magical, white lights. Stacey though of how it reminded her of her house when it was Christmas. When her mom was still alive she would always help her with the outside decorations. Stringing lights in the front yard, setting up the Christmas tree and afterwards have a nice big cup of hot chocolate. She missed it and knew it would never be the same. This is why she could never really be happy on the holidays. Too many memories of happiness that she knew she could never have again. What a wonderful way to spent the holidays, huh?  
  
Grabbing her cloak tighter she stood still and looked up at the moon. It was a harvest moon. She liked the moon, it always reminded her that nothing stays the same; it will always be forever changing. She stood there like that until she heard a familiar voice behind her.  
  
"Do you always stand like an utter moron and stare at the moon?" She jumped and turned to see who it was.  
  
"Humph. No, but I like the moon. It calms me down when I feel like I need to rip someone's head off." She turned away from him to once again stare at the moon. "Is there something you want?" She said not bothering to look at him.  
  
"Yes, we need to discuss the way you will be paying me back for that little dept that needs to be paid."  
  
"Oh goody, let me guess. You want me to clean out your potions cabinet or have me scrub the tables with a tooth brush?"  
  
"No, I need you to assist me with a potion." She turned and gave him a strange look.  
  
"Have you forgotten or do you not remember the fact that I was the one who blew up the last potion in you class. I have no skill in potions."  
  
"That's why you are going to help me. I need someone with as little potion making skills as I can find. You will be at my classroom tomorrow night at 8:00 sharp. Do not be late Miss Vitale or I will be forced to have you pay of the time that you wasted." She crossed her arms to her chest  
  
"Don't worry, but if it blows up then don't blame me. I warn you now" He gave a nod and went on his way. Stacey saw that he didn't get ten feet before he turned and kicked a near by rose bush. Stacey almost fell on the floor laughing when she saw who it was. Laurelle and Rob both jumped out of the bush when he kicked it. Her hair was messed up and his wasn't any better. She also had a missing shoe.  
  
"Mr. Mayor, Miss. Wallach? Mind telling me what you two are doing out here in the snow...behind a rose bush?" Severus crossed his arms waiting for an answer.  
  
"We a....We were just ummmm uh. Well you see it's a very funny story really I........"She turned bright red and was cut off by Snape  
  
"Miss. Wallach 50 points from Gryffindor. Mr. Mayor, 20 points from Ravenclaw." Laurelle's jaw dropped and Rob gathered himself together and walked (More like ran) towards the school. "Miss. Wallach you're not a fish." She closed her mouth and watched as he went to another bush to take more points off. After Stacey was done laughing she walked over to the still confused Laurelle.  
  
"Now Laurelle, tell me something. What were you two doing behind there?" She elbowed Laurelle's shoulder playfully  
  
"Nothing! Why do you think we were doing something?!"  
  
"Hah, Laurelle was caught snogging!"  
  
"So!"  
  
"If it doesn't mean anything then why is it bothering you? Hummmmm"  
  
"That's not what's bothering me! It's that big nosed vampire! Did you see what he did? Why did he only take 20 points from Ravenclaw and 50 from Gryffindor!" She turned and pointed a finger at Stacey. "You're a Professor, why don't you do something?"  
  
"Oh and what would you have me do? Be unfair and load up Gryffindor with unearned house points?"  
  
"Yea!" Stacey and Laurelle both began to laugh "Oh and Stac."  
  
"Yea"  
  
"I believe you owe me 5 Galleons chocolate frog, and a sugar quill."  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
A.N: Yea yea I kno. what a weird way to end a chapter....but I've been suffering from writers block...AGH....you wouldn't believe how long I've been staring at a blank screen....it's really depressing. And not to mention I'm trying not to turn this into a fucken Mary Sue story.. I've though up some new material and will be applying it to my story..MUHAHAHAHA...scary isn't it? And yes I know that the Yule ball doesn't come until the g.o.f but I just couldn't help myself.. . 


	8. The Big Bang

CH8  
  
The Big Bang  
  
A.N:Ok I just now figured this out...italics don't show up in my story when I post them on fanfiction so from now on when a character is thinking something it will come up like this....'thought' ~~~ see little commas..ok thanks for all your reviews. And can be used to express that something is bold.etc  
Hogwarts was nearly empty two days after the Yule Ball. Nearly all, but a handful of kids had stayed for the holidays. Even Laurelle had left to go visit her parents. Stacey was spending her holiday being tutored by some of the professors in different subjects. Monday was potions, Tuesday Herbology, Wednesday Care of Magical Creatures, and Thursday was Divinations. Personally she only liked Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. The rest she could have cared less for. Potions was spent being yelled at by Severus for not chopping up her ingredients right or blowing something else up, however she was improving. Divination wasn't any better, the teacher kept predicting her death and saying that she was a curse to the school and would bring Hogwarts to its end. In her opion the teacher was a fake and couldn't foresee herself out of a paper bag if she tried.  
  
Stacey's holiday wasn't going so well. When she did have free time she had managed to get lost on several occasions and had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting with the bloody baron who did nothing but call her a pathetic American slut. She made a mental note not to ask him for directions 'ever' again. Thankfully the break was almost over and the students would be returning soon. She couldn't wait to start teaching again, even though she only had one full day of teaching so far she enjoyed it immensely.  
  
Today was a Saturday and since she had already made out the class plans for a week, made her way down to the staff room with a cup of that horrible coffee and a poetry book. It was one of the millions she owned. She wasn't a big book worm, but the one thing that did hold her interest was a good poetry book. As she walked in she noticed that the staff room was empty. Oh glory be, no Lockhart, Snape, or any other teacher who would attempt to bother or ask her questions. She could finally have one calm and peaceful morning to herself. Spotting an empty seat near the window she ran over and plopped herself into the soft leather chair put her coffee down and took out and began to read her book.  
  
As Stacey was finally getting settled into her book the door flew open and in stomped a very angry Severus followed by a flustered Trelawney holding up some tarot cards. Well there goes her peaceful morning, figures it should be ruined by the two who she least wanted to see.  
  
"But she's a danger to us all! The cards tell me! Severus you have to do something, warn Albus." Pleaded Trelawney.. he just glared at her.  
  
"We have to get rid of her. She must leave Hogwarts."  
  
"The only one who needs to leave Hogwarts is you, now stop being petty and get out of my way!" This was too much. Stacey stood up and slammed her book on the floor. Severus and Trelawney both became quite and looked at her like she had grown two heads.  
  
"WOULD THE TWO OF YOU JUST PLEASE SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Trelawney was about to say something, but Stacey haled her hand up to silence her "You!" She pointed at Trelawney "Just please shut up! Your predictions are WRONG! Stop saying I'm some threat when I'm not! You couldn't foresee yourself out of a paper bag! JUST GO!" She pointed at the door. Sibyll stuck her nose in the air and left. 'Good ridens to bad rubbish'. She stared at Severus who just looked at her and then sat back down. She picked up her book and began to read again. Curiosity got the better of him and Severus walked to the opposite chair and sat down to stared at the title of her book.  
  
"Muggel Poetry?" Stacey lowered her book to look at him  
  
"Yes, do you read it?"  
  
He gave a snort "No, it's utter nonsense." He gestured to the book "It's nothing but riddles and fluff." Her jaw dropped. How could he call it fluff? Most poems expressed grief or sorrow, but not "Fluff" "Miss Vitale, your not a fish!"  
  
"You know you're wrong. Poetry is an expression of feeling and is meant to be read in-between the lines."  
  
"Oh and how so?"  
  
"Well, if you'll allow me to read one I'll explain." He gave a look of dissatisfaction but gave a nod and she began to flip threw the pages, She came cross a poem that was titled "How to be happy" but thought aginst it. She didn't want to risk that chance that he might get up and throw the book into the fire place. Finally she came upon a poem that might just get her point across. She cleared her throat and began  
  
You don't have to tell how you live each day,  
  
You don't have to say if you work or play,  
  
A tired, true barometer serves in your place  
  
However you live, it will show in your face.  
  
The false, the deceit you bear in your heart  
  
Will not stay inside where it first got a start,  
  
For sinew and blood are a thin vile of lace,  
  
What you wear in your heart you wear in your face.  
  
If life is unselfish, if for others you live  
  
For not what you get, but how much you can give,  
  
If you live close to God, in his infinite grace,  
  
You don't have to tell it, it shows in your face.  
  
When Stacey was done she looked up from her book only to find he was un amused. Obviously Severus Snape was not a poetry man, but she bet if it was written by a witch or wizard he would have at least attempted to look amused. Well at least she didn't get her book thrown into the fire, although she was willing to bet that it crossed his mind once or twice during the past moment.  
  
"Well aren't you going to say anything?" She said impatiently.  
  
"Will you be teaching this in Muggel Studies?"  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
"I suggest you reconsider that plan."  
  
"What's wrong with teaching it!?"  
  
"Oh, my apologies I was under the impression that you wanted your Students to remain awake in class." he said musingly  
  
"Why you...I can't believe... the nerve." She was somewhat at a loss for words. Mainly because she couldn't find anything rotten enough to call him. Severus was lucky that she wasn't a witch, Stacey would have probably whipped out a wand and threw every curse and hex in the book at him, but still that wouldn't stop her from throwing something else at him. Grabbing the book in her right hand, she attempted to chuck it as hard as she could at his head. Quickly she whipped the book back and was going to launch it but when she did the book wasn't in her hands anymore. 'Where did it go?'  
  
"Ah, muggel poetry. One of my favorite things about the muggel world." Said a voice from behind her. Standing there looking like his usually stupid self was Lockhart holding her book and quickly flipping threw the pages. Well this was a new revelation; Gilidory read muggel poetry? Add that to the very short list of good things about Gilidory. "All the world's a play and the men and woman are actors." Ok, scratch that...He's a complete moron. Clearing her throat she regained his attention again and corrected his mistake.  
  
"Acutely it's 'All the world's a stage, and the men and woman are merely players." Blushing, he closed the book.  
  
"Oh, yes right, I really must be going now." In attempting to make a quick exit Gilidory made the mistake of tossing Stacey her book and missing, instead of her catching it, it landed in the fire beside her. That was a dumb move as he soon found out while dodging a tea cup being thrown at his head.  
  
It was only the morning and already several bad things had happened. Sitting back in her chair she noticed the smirk on Severs's face. 'Great what is he laughing at?' she wondered. What was the infamous Severus Snape planning in that scary head of his? Probably a witty remark or rude comment wouldn't surprise her. Acutely it would be acting out of character for him if he didn't say something rude or snide. He graceful got out of his seat and made his way to leave the staff room but not before having a little fun while the mood was still right.  
  
"You know Stacey, muggel poetry may not make for very good reading, but it makes nice fire wood." before she could react he quickly left the room so as to get out of the line of fire. She would get him back anyway during her karate lesson. Speaking of lessons she noted that she was late for her Divinations class and made a hasty retreat out the door.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
Running to the Northern tower, she managed to make it to the staircase that lead upward into the den of the ranting loony. She knew exactly what was going to take place when she got up there. More of that stupid crystal ball reading and staring into the bottom of a teacup looking at tea leaves. She couldn't figure out what the tea leaves were suppose to do exactly, they just kinda sat there looking soggy. Besides she never believed in that crystal ball crap anyway. Stacey's powers in Divination were reading tarot cards and having the ability to see auras. She could read people's emotions and get a good idea of there personality from there auras. Although she never mentioned this to Trelawney for obvious reasons. This was something that Stacey wanted to keep to herself, after all Divinations wasn't something that was taken to very well anyway.  
  
Climbing up the staircase she entered a hot and incenses filled room. Glancing over to the other side of the room she noticed that Sibyl was in some sort of "deep" meditation. Knowing not to disturb her she went to a desk and took a seat by the window. After all the more time she wasted the less she had to deal with Trelawney.  
  
"Ah child I could tell you were coming down the hall. Your dark aura can be sensed by me."  
  
"My aura is not dark." she muttered trying to control her anger.  
  
"So you say, but I know the truth you cannot hid it from me. Even if you are able to hide it from Albus." Stacey couldn't think of anything to say, this dammed woman was once again making her life more difficult. What bothered her though was why she was even keeping this act up. The rest of the staff had assured her that Sibyll would get over it in a couple of days. Well it's been a couple of weeks and now she was on the breaking point. This was nothing new for her, all of her divination classes started out like this. Thinking of nothing else to do Stacey stared at her in hopes that Trelawney would self combust and vanish off the face of the earth. Sibyll seemed to since that and promptly stood up to walk to the desk that Stacey was sitting at." Today you will be learning how to meditate; I sense that your third eye is clouded by your aura. You must meditate and therefore clear your mind. Then meaby you'll be able to see that dark shadow that seems to be hovering over you."  
  
She was doing it again, wishing that the bloody woman in front of her would just blow up. "If I do this can I leave?" After a moment of silence Sibyll gave a solemn nod and gestured for Stacey to follow her around the table to a pile of pillows. The pillows where of different colors and designs. Some in yellow, orange and red, while others were purple, teal, and pink. Stacey watched as she strolled a few feet in front of her to stand next to the pillows then she began to give the instructions.  
  
"You will mediate here for half an hour. I will be giving instructions while you are deep in thought. Hopefully that little aura problem of yours can be solved." Rolling her eyes in frustration she stomped over to the pile of pillows and sat in Indian style as she closed her eyes and began to concentrate. "Now open your mind, Let the good thoughts pour in and the evil come out" 'Evil? What the hell was she trying to get at?'  
  
"I want you to release the evil that is built up inside of you."  
  
Stacey could feel her temper rising.  
  
"Miss. Vitale you're not releasing!"  
  
That was the breaking point  
  
"Meaby I was right. I don't think you are able to releas....."  
  
"That's it! I'm sorry but I can't take it anymore! Just shut up! You have no idea what you're talking about. It seems to me that the only thing you are is some bracelet wearing perfume loving freak! Why don't you just do this school a favor and jump out that doo.." When she pointed at the door she was cut off in mid sentence, there was a loud bang and what once was the door was now nothing but a pile of splinters." What the hell?" When Stacey recovered she glanced at Trelawney who might I add was still in shock.  
  
"My-my-my-door!"  
  
"Umm uh well thanks for the lesson. Yea real sorry 'bout your door, umm it might be an improvement. You can air out the room...ok well bye see ya." She said this as fast as she could while gathering up her things and went down the latter so fast that she skipped more then half the steps. There was no was she was going to stick around and end up in the hospital ward The last thing she needed was to have a limb broken or her skull cracked open from a glass perfume bottle. It seemed though that Trelawney recovered quicker then she would have thought because as she was rounding a corner a loud and shrill voice could be heard.  
  
"STACEY! I'M REPORTING THIS TO DUMBLEDORE....YOUR EVIL WILL NOT PLAGUE THE SCHOOL!" With that said Stacey made a mental note to perhaps stay away from divinations class for awhile.  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
"You know Stacey, I'm sure it couldn't have been that bad." Said Laurelle to a very worried and bothered Stacey. It had been several weeks since her accident in divinations class and still no one could come up wit an explanation as to how it blew up. This left her very bothered and confused, doors don't blow up by themselves although the stair cases did move from time to time, but then again they didn't blow up now did they? She knew she didn't do it, but obviously someone forgot to tell that to Trelawney. She still accused Stacey for turning her door into cinder wood even though Dumbledore told her that it was impossible for such a person to accomplish this task. Now she found herself with the only person she could talk to since everyone else had dismissed it as a bug problem.  
  
"Laurelle, The damn door is in a million pieces." Stacey watched as her best friend paced back and forth in her room trying to think of an explanation.  
  
"Meaby everyone is right. Stac it could have just been a bug problem."  
  
"Please, let me know what kind of insect is made of T.N.T. The door blew up! Bugs don't blow things up!"  
  
"I don't know what else to tell you."  
  
"Well lie and say that there was no door there to begin with."  
  
"There was no door there to begin with, Stacey. It was all in your head and you just imagined the door shatter into a zillion pieces." Stacey gave her a small smile.  
  
"Some friend you are. You know It's times like this I wish I were back in Jersey, away from the exploding doors and atomic bugs."  
  
"Stac, I wouldn't worry to much about it anyway, strange things always happen around here. It was probably just Peeves getting back at you for ignoring him. You know how he can be after all. Besides, Valentines day is in a few more weeks and...." Stacey gave her a stern look and Laurelle stopped mid sentence. She never liked Valentines Day, it was always too mushy and usually gave her a headache. If it wasn't for all the people being miserable on this holiday she would have probably hated it a little less. "Don't you like Valentines Day?"  
  
"Are you crazy? What's there to like? I see the same thing every year. People crying, flowers that give you a headache, and not to mention that some people become so diluted that the world around them disappears. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if someone walked out into the middle of the street and...."  
  
"You know a simple NO would have been ok."  
  
"Sorry, meaby your right. Ok here is what I'll do. I'll ignore it for now, but if one more thing blows up I'm not going to rub it off as a "bug" problem."  
  
"Well duhh."  
  
"What's that suppose to mean humm?" She crossed her arms to her chest.  
  
"Oh gee look at the time I really must be going! See you later Stac."  
  
"Laurelle." Laurelle ignored her and made a quick dash out the door. Stacey followed her to the door way and yelled at her retreating back. "YOU KNOW YOUR USELESS RIGHT?" She gave a giggle as Laurelle, not seeing where she was going because she was now walking backwards, smacked into a door and hitting her head lightly aginst it.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
A.N: This has to be one of the most boring chapters I have ever written.. Well of corse it is a Transitional Chapter so it's not really meant to be to detailed... Keep up your reviews and let me know what you think.. The next chapter I have to say is one of the best I've written and your going to want to see this.. 


	9. Hearts, Flowers Candy, and The Color Red

ch9  
  
Valentines Day, the most loathed holiday for Stacey. She didn't want to get up and out of bed; this was the one holiday that put her in the worst mood. The last thing she needed was to go and face "Happy" people and the love struck atmosphere of the students. "Bhlack" she said at the thought of how the school was going to be decorated. Last night at the staff meeting Lockheart made it very clear that he would be doing the decorating for the school and this gave Stacey the sensation of wanting to puke up all her food from the dinner she had. Snape didn't look any better.  
  
After she got dressed she hesitated at the door knob. Did she really want to find out what was beyond the safety of her door? 'no'....But she knew that sooner or later she would have to make an appearance at the Great Hall for breakfast. Slowly she turned the door knob, closed her eyes, stepped out of her room and shut the door behind her. When she found the courage to open her eyes she was horror struck. "What the fuck happened to the school?!" she spat. Everything was pink. From head to toe and there were floating hearts everywhere. But nothing was as bad as what she saw next. Flying cherubs. Yes ladies and gentleman, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was now home to the evil flying cherub things! Oh the horror of it all. For Stacey this was like stepping into your worst nightmare and not being able to wake up from it. Shacking her head in disgust she ran back in her room, grabbed her tennis racket and walked to the great hall just waiting for one of those stupid little winged babies to get in her way for her to slaughter on sight. *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* After coming across and disposing of two cherubs, Stacey finally made it to the great hall only too discover a more horrid sight then what she had already came across. Pink smoke covered the floor and more of those Stupid miniature cupid things were flying around delivering valentines. The enchanted ceiling was raining hearts that disappeared before they hit the floor. It smelled like candy and flowers. 'Oh my god..I've died and gone to hell!' She thought. What made it even worse was that the children seemed to be enjoying the little make over job that the school had received. 'There all demented...every last one of them.' She was in the land of the idiots and there, at the head table, sat their leader. Dressed in pink robes and surrounded by 50 or so valentines. As she made her way to her seat she could hear students mumbling and felt them cringe as she walked by. They could tell that today was not a good day to mess with the blood thirsty muggel studies teacher.  
  
Reaching her seat she plopped down and dropped her racket next to her. If one more of those stupid cherubs comes near me again I'll be all to glad to get my hands around Gilidory throat and just... She was cut off by her train of though by a very worried and somewhat scared Minerva staring at her.  
  
"WHAT!" spat Stacey. Minerva jumped a little but didn't lose her composure  
  
"Stacey, do you think you could possible calm down a little. After all it is Valati...." Stacey growled (Literally) at Minerva, who by this point moved her chair a little further away from her for fear that Stacey might blow up or self combust.  
  
"Minerva, I do not need a reminder as to what holiday it is. After all..." She gestured to one of the cherubs that flew over head. "How could you not know?" Minerva just stared at her for a short wile and turned to the head master and started to talk to him. Stacey was about to turn toward her food and eat but had suddenly lost her appetite. Even her food was decorated in festive colors of pink and red. It's times like this when she wished she was color blind. Pushing her food away she glanced at Severus's plate only to find that his food was in normal color.  
  
"Severus mind me asking why your food isn't tainted by the evil that has been unleashed in Hogwarts." Severus couldn't help but give a little smile. It was the first time he had ever come across a person who hated Valentines Day almost as much as he did. "What did you do? Threaten the house elves?"  
  
"Indeed" he looked at the tennis racket and then back at her. "And what, may I ask, is that?"  
  
"Oh this" She picked up the racket." Well for right now, it's a giant cherub swatter." She had set it back down and signaled a house elf that had just passed by. "Hey ummm...Dobby was it?" the scared little elf made his was over to her, he didn't forget the last encounter he had with her. It wasn't pleasant.  
  
"Yes Miss, What can Dobby do for Miss Stacey."  
  
"Could you possibly take away this food and bring out a few fire whiskies." The house elf nodded and with a 'pop' he was gone, taking the food with him.  
  
"Isn't it a little early to become even more senseless then you already are?" Stacey glared at him  
  
"That's the point!" Suddenly there was another 'pop' and dobby had placed two fire whiskies in front of her and left again She picked up the first one and downed it in one gulp. "Unlike you, I don't have a dungeon to lock myself away in while a plague of cherubs infests the school."  
  
"I do not lock myself away in the dungeons! Like you I too must suffer the company of the inept students."  
  
"It's not the students that bother me."  
  
"Oh and what pray tell does?" As if on cue a happy cherub with a heart in its hand, landed in front of Stacey and did a little dance. Her face grew cold and irate. With lighting reflexes she grabbed the tennis racket with her left hand and smacked it on the table where the cherub once stood. The noise ran threw the grate hall and everyone stopped to stare at the teacher's table. All eyes were on her; Feeling stupid she slowly removed the racket from the table took another shot of fire whiskey and left threw the back door.  
  
Severus seemed to be happy with the damage she did; on the table lay the remains of the cherub although it didn't look too much like a cherub anymore. Gilidory on the other hand seemed torn between pissed and upset. How dare she destroy one of his creations, he would have to speak to Albus about her behavior later In the mean time it might be best to remove the end trails from the table.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
Stacey power walked to her classroom, she had to get away from all the festivity that came with Valentines day. Just try and let somebody stop her, she'd spit fire. And if another one of those blasted winged bastards came within 2 feet of her she would march up to Lockheart and express her gratitude for his design to the school. She had 7th year Griffindor and Ravenclaw for her 1st class of the day. She shouldn't have to much of a problem as long as they kept their mouths shut and didn't move for the entire period. She was planning a free period today since she didn't trust herself to teach, not on this day anyway. In a hurry to get to class she didn't notice the person walking in the opposite direction coming toward her. Stacey walked into someone and had landed backwards on the ground. What the....who the hell hit me! She though. Looking straight ahead, she saw exactly who it was.  
  
"Watch were your going Trelawney." she leered at her. Sibyll ignored her rudeness and promptly got up and looked down at Stacey.  
  
"Stacey I must speak to you. Would it be possible if sometime later today you could stop by my classroom?" Rolling her eyes she stood up and gave a sigh. It probably had something to do with the door that was blown up.  
  
"If I must."  
  
"Good, see you later then" Stacey gave her a sweetly evil smile and nodded her head. The older woman ignored her and continued on her way.  
  
"Bitch" spat Stacey in a low muffled voice. She didn't like that quack pot at all. Trelawney had been acting strange for the past few weeks. Stacey had to cover her class several times because she would mysteriously "disappear", and rarely showed up at dinner. In the muggel world she would probably fit in with those 1-800-dial a physic.  
  
Finally, she made it to her classroom and was happy to see it wasn't touched by the "evil" that had infected the rest of the school. Quickly she made her way over to her desk and sat down to relax. Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Stacey gave a moan. 'Now what?' she plowed her head aginst the top of the desk.  
  
"If you don't have wings or an arrow you may come in." the door slowly opened to reveal a brightly smiling Laurelle  
  
"You know you risk having your teeth removed if you keep smiling like that." She walked in and closed the door behind her.  
  
"Gee aren't we in a bad mood today?"  
  
"Oh, what ever gave you that idea?"  
  
"Humm lets see. Could it be the little black cloud that seems to be hovering above you or the fact that nearly half of the cherubs have somehow mysteriously vanished. Oh and lets not forget the little stunt you pulled this morning at breakfast." Laurelle began to laugh.  
  
"I find those stupid things to be annoying and the fact that I ran into the divination teacher didn't help to raise my spirits any." She put her feet up on the table "Hopefully I won't have a disaster in class today. Something tells me that something bad is going to happen and I don't like it."  
  
"The only thing bad that could happen on a day like this is if someone were to give you a Valentine." Stacey glared at her and Laurelle shook her head "Isn't there the slightest chance you could ever like Valentines day?"  
  
"Yea, sure. When the harvest moon is out in the daytime and I see a purple bunny dancing the Irish jig with a yellow dragon while watching the dancers from river dance do a tap number on one of the great hall tables." she gave a small smirk  
  
"Look there goes one now!" Stacey eyed Laurelle and Laurelle gives a sigh "I'll take that as a no."  
  
"Smart girl, 50 points to Griffindor."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Come back and ask me that again when I'm a bit more sober."  
  
The bell rang and five minutes later the students started to come into class. Laurelle took her seat up in the front and put her feet on the desk. Stacey waited for everyone to be seated before she got up and stared at her class with an evil look plastered on her face. No one moved, they had never seen anyone like this before (Well except for Snape, but he was like that all the time.) and it scared them. Stacey could feel the tension in the room and it made her smile even more.  
  
"I expect 'No one' to interrupt this class. I am not in the mood for silly games. I don't want to see Valentines, hearts, candy, the color red, or any cuddling "Just then rob stands up and hugs Laurelle. Stacey smacks her hand on the desk and takes of 50 points from Ravenclaw. Rob then sits back down with a scowl on his face "If I see someone crying 300 points will be taken from your house. Personally I don't give a dame ladies if your boyfriend dumped you or gentlemen if your lady found another. This is not a guidance office and I am not here to deal with your problems. And if I see any of those pixy things come into my room to deliver a poem or whatever the person who it came for will be receiving detention with Filch. GOT IT!" Everyone gave a nod, their eyes wide in shock. "Good, now this is a free period, so do homework or something, one word from any of you and I'll be all to glad to kick you out of the class. literally." They all stared at her. "Well GET STARTED!" The class jumped and as quickly as they could got out some parchment and began to do work. Stacey made her way back to her seat and thought to herself 'Severus Snape eat your heart out.'  
  
Class was going well, no one dared to make a sound or even bothered to raise a hand to go to the bathroom. Stacey sat at her desk watching and waiting for the bell to ring. The sooner this class was over the better , but all period, she couldn't help that something was wrong. A Ravenclaw named Russell Simpsion had kept staring at the door then at Laurelle then at stacey and finally back at the door. Not to mention the bothering smile that was stretching from ear to ear.  
  
"Mr. Simpsion, what may I ask is so interesting about that door and Miss. Wallach that you must continue to stare from one to the other, Hummmm? " she tapped her fingers on the desk boardly.  
  
"Umm well you see Professor Vitale I....Ummm I..." Before he could finish the door slammed open and in flew a cherub. For some reason this cherub didn't look right. It looked a little crazy and infected. Its eyes looked like swirls of black, almost like it was demented. Stacey stood up, panic struck threw her as it took out a bow and arrow. 'Wait a minute...the cherubs don't have bows and arrows!? This doesn't look good!' The cherub took off flying around the room and bouncing off the walls. The class was ducking under the desks and some were even trying to catch the little bugger. They knew what would happen if it shot an arrow at somebody. Suddenly the cherub stopped and pointed a red arrow at Laurelle.  
  
"Laurelle duck!" Laurelle took cover under the table just as the cherub shot the arrow, hitting Russell instead. The sight would have been funny if the cherub didn't turn on her and start shooting a different type of arrow. These arrows were black and contained an explosive. Stacey knew that it was aiming directly at her because no matter where she moved it seemed to follow. She had to do something; the students were all trying to get out the door at once. Well almost everybody. Laurelle was standing there blushing while rob and Russell were fighting on the ground. While Stacey was dodging the onslaught of explosives she managed to get her racked and hurl herself at the infected cherub. With one quick swing it was destroyed leaving black smoke in it's remains.  
  
"EVERYBODY SIT DOWN AND SHUTUP!" the students at the door were silent and had stopped moving, Rob had stopped pummeling Russell but was still on top of him grabbing his collar. Laurelle had moved to Stacey's side to help her up. "Mr. Mayor I suggest you remove yourself from Mr. Simpsion." Rob nodded his head and got off Russell. Stacey made her way over to him and lifted the little brat off the floor. "Mr. Simpsion, you have a lot of explaining to do!"  
  
"But Professor Vitale I didn't..."  
  
"SHUTUP!" Russell's eyes grew wide and he gave a nod. "Laurelle, please watch the class while I escort Mr. Simpsion to the hospital wing."  
  
"Ok" while she was making her way to the door Russell got down on his knees again and was professing his undying love for Laurelle.  
  
"Oh my sweet, your eyes are purer then the purest river. Ah how do I love thee? Let me count the ways..." rolling her eyes, Stacey walked up to Russell again and literally dragged him from the classroom while one of Rob's friends was trying to hold him back. In the hall way Stacey noticed she was bleeding badly. 'I'm sure it's nothing poppy can't take care of.'  
  
"Mind telling me Mr. Simpsion why you decided to bring one of those...things...in my classroom?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"Yes what?"  
  
"Yes, I mind telling you." Stacey gripped his shoulder harder making him wince  
  
"That was not the right answer Mr. Simpsion. Care to try again?"  
  
"No"  
  
"Fine, then you can answer to Professor Dumbledor as to why you decided to almost kill a teacher" he gave a hard and evil look while Stacey just rolled her eyes again. "And do one more thing. Cut the evil crap. It doesn't suit you." *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* "POPPY!" Poppy was startled by the entrance that Stacey had made. She had burst threw the door with a very angry Russell dragging behind her. Poppy took one look at Russell's broken nose and shook her head.  
  
"Fighting again were we Mr.Simpsion?" Russell gave something between a snort and a growl. Stacey was about to leave but suddenly felt very light headed and had fell into a chair. Poppy took one look at Stacey's bleeding leg and had gotten her into a bed while calling Albus threw the fireplace.  
  
"Look Poppy I.." ignoring her poppy continued to call Albus.  
  
"Albus come quick! I think you need to see this!" Two seconds later Albus came from the fire place while Stacey was attempting to make an exit threw the door. Tip toeing, she quietly got about half way across the room but all to soon her feet were glued to the ground and she couldn't move. Clutching her fists she whirled around to face a very impatient looking poppy and a bemused looking Albus.  
  
"Poppy this isn't funny. I'm fine it's just a little scratch now can I please go back to my classroom."  
  
"A little scratch? Stacey you have a laceration that cuts to the bone. And if you do not sit down this instant Albus and I will be forced to use a full body bind on you." Oh yea that's all she needed was to be bound and forced to lie on a bed while she gets her leg poked at. Thinking that meaby it might be a better idea to sit instead of being bound she walked (hobbeled) to the bed and plopped herself down while Poppy ran her wand over the deep wound.  
  
"Stacey how did you receive such a wound?" Asked Albus.  
  
"You can thank Mr. Simpsion for that. It seems that he though it might be funny to 'blow me up' and get a girl friend in the process. Oh and Mr. Simpsion that will be 100 points from Ravenclaw for fighting and another 300 for that stunt you pulled. Nice job by the way to bad it was ineffective because as soon as I'm feeling better you will be serving detention for the rest of the year!" Russell was mumbling something but it was to low for anyone to hear. Stacey unaware that Poppy was still examineing her leg and gave a yelp of pain when she put a special ointment on her cut. "Ouch! Watch it. That burns."  
  
"I'm sorry. Stacey, you will have to spend a few days here. It seems that you have lost a lot of blood and I don't trust you to go out on your own."  
  
"What! there is no way I'm staying here while......" Poppy raised her hand to silence her.  
  
"Not one more word. If you sit down and behave I might let you out by tomorrow. If you don't behave then I will keep you here for a week. Pick your choice." Crossing her arms she leered at Poppy. "Good, that's what I though." Albus walked over to Stacey and put a warm hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Stacey when you get out of the Hospital wing I would like you to do me something."  
  
"Sure, what."  
  
"I would like you to take a look at the letter your dad sent you." She was a bit confused. What would her dad's letter have anything to do with this? Well best not to question the man that seemed to know everything.  
  
"Sure uhhh ok." Satisfied with her answer Albus made his way over to the fire place and stepped into the green flames to disappear once more.  
  
"Here take this." Stacey turned her head to look at the very iterated Poppy that was standing behind her holding a bottle of blue liquid.  
  
"What is that?" she said pointing a finger at the bottle.  
  
"Dreamless sleep potion."  
  
"Dreamless what what?"  
  
"Dreamless sleep potion. I will have no arguments out of you young lady. Either you take it or I find someone to force you to take it." Humm what ever happened to the kind and loving school nurse. This woman was practically like a over protective mother. Poppy pulled out the stopper from the vile and Stacey held her nose in distaste. The potion smelled like old gym socks and was so potent that it could be smelled even from where she was sitting. If Poppy though for one milla second that she was going to take that potion then she was sadly mistaken.  
  
"There is no way in hell I'm taking that. It smells rancid."  
  
"Like I said before. A one week stay. Make your pick Stacey."  
  
"I rather stay here for a week then down that hellish liquid." Stacey could have swarn she heard Poppy mutter something that sounded strangely like' The blasted girl is worst then Severus' and who was it that walked threw the door that very instant. Well none other than (dun dun dun duuun) Severus Snape himself. Carrying what looked like to be a box of small bottles that resembled the one that was in poppy's hand. Poppy's smile grew 10 fold as she approached Severus. The woman was scheming aginst her no doubt in her mind.  
  
"Ah, Severus, there you are. I was wondering if you could help me with something?"  
  
"Poppy I'm fairly busy with other more important things and I have no time too...."  
  
"This will only take a second. You see I'm having a problem here coaxing Stacey to take the Dreamless sleep drought and..." Without another word he quickly grabbed the bottle from Poppy's hand and gracefully made his way over to Stacey's bed.  
  
"Open!" he barked, but she simply crossed her arms to her chest and shook her head. She knew she looked like a child, but what did she care. There was no way she was taking that crap. Rolling his eyes in exasperation he took his free hand and pinched her nose so she couldn't breathe. It was now a waiting game. Severus knew that she would eventually have to breathe, but obviously someone forgot to tell Stacey that. He had to wait a little over a minute until finally she could stand the pain in her lungs no longer and had opened her mouth to breathe. She was relieved when the breath took the pressure off her lungs but it was only a momentary comfort. For as soon as her mouth opened the bottle was jabbed in and she had no choice but to drink the contents.  
  
"Oh my god it's worst then I though!" She said coughing, but was soon overcome with the erge to sleep and soon drifted off to la la land.  
  
A.N: ah yes the long awaited chapter.. I am fully pleased to announce that these are my real feelings toward that blasted holiday...yuck...ok hope you enjoyed...and yes now there is a plot..gasp! 


	10. The Power of Freedom

Ch10  
  
The Letter  
  
Albus Dumbledore stood pacing his office and waiting for Severus Snape to arrive. He seemed to be a little fatigued emotionally and physically. Poppy had been begging him to let Stacey out of the hospital ward for three days now. It seems that she had other ideas about trying to say in the company of poppy for little over a week. On several occasions she tried to escape at night and make it to her rooms, but the only thing she accomplished was setting off an alarm and waking poppy up. Albus knew that he couldn't let her out yet and had given poor Poppy the burden of keeping her there for another week. Unfortunately he knew that he couldn't keep her there for much longer after all you can only keep an American locked up for so long before she starts reading her constitutional rights to you. He felt bad for doing this but it had to be done, she wasn't safe.  
  
After five more minutes of waiting there came a light tapping at the door and a quick entry by Snape.  
  
"Headmaster, you wanted to see me?" There were several moments of silence before Albus turned to Severus and answered him.  
  
"Yes Severus, I have some disturbing news. Please sit." Severus, who by this point was looking more worried, calmly walked over to a chair across from Albus's desk and sat down. He could see something was bothering the wise old man that stood in front of him, his eye did not hold the same twinkle they once did and his age was showing more now then ever. This could not be anything good if it was making the man that stood aginst Voldemort seem nothing more then an warn out elder. "I'm going to ask you a favor Severus. It seems that Mr. Simpson was not who he seemed to be."  
  
"Headmaster?"  
  
"Mr. Simpson was a follower of Voldemort and for some reason he was assigned to kill her." Severus couldn't believe what he was hearing. Why would Voldemort want Stacey dead? What threat did a simple muggle pose to the creature who's name struck fear to all those who heard it? There was something more, something that Albus was not telling him and he could sense it. "That attack on Stacey was no accident, so to make sure that she is safe I am assigning you to watch her, can I count on you to keep her safe?"  
  
This was the last thing that Severus Snape ever wanted to hear. He remembered the last time he was assigned to watch her during her trip to Diagon Ally. The blasted girl nearly ran off on him and risked getting lost, Stupid American. If it was anyone else he would have said yes without thinking twice, but this wasn't somebody else this was Stacey. For some reason she had been a pain in his side from day one, not to mention that she had nearly broken his arm the first day they had even met. What else could he do though, he couldn't say no to Albus, he owed him to much to refuse.  
  
"Yes, I will keep her," He paused, trying to force himself to say it."...safe." Albus seemed to have relaxed a great deal at that. His twinkle returned to his eyes and he gave a small smile. 'Damn twinkle' he though. He was going to live to regret this later, he could feel it but what could he do? Well jumping off the astronomy tower seemed like a good idea, but then again that would give Sibyll the satisfaction of being right for once so the only thing left to do was go down to the hospital wing and break the news to the last person he wanted to see. "Is that all Albus?"  
  
"Yes, and inform poor Poppy that Stacey is free to leave I believe that there is no need for her to remain there any more." Severus nodded his head and quickly left the room with a scowl on his face.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
"Poppy! Please I'm ok really see look no more limping. Can I go now?" Asked Stacey for about the millionth time today. She was really board and restless, if somebody didn't let her out soon she was going to explode.  
  
"Stacey, for the hundredth time No! Albus has given me orders saying that you are to stay here until he gives you the Okay." Poppy was on the verge of a nervous breakdown and if it wasn't for the fact that Stacey was a teacher she would have strangled her on several occasions.  
  
She didn't know why she was being held captive in the hospital and she had done her best to drive Poppy to the point of kicking her out of the room, but with no success. She was still in the same bed with the same view of the window and having the same argument for the hundredth time in a row with the "prison guard" who was now tending to a third year Huffelpuff with a head cold.  
  
Thinking that this could be her moment of escape she quickly jumped out of bed and made a mad dash for the open door. Just as she was about to make an exit a dark figure blocked her path. Without enough time to stop she ran head long into Severus causing him to knock backwards and fall on his ass.  
  
"What in Merlin do you think your doing!" He snapped at her which caused her to jump of him instantly.  
  
"Damn you! I hope you know that you have this stupid habit of showing up at the worst times." She looked down at where he still lay flat on his back. If he was expecting her to help him up then he was sadly mistaken. Poppy, hearing all the commotion and yelling, ran over to drag Stacey back into bed and help Severus off the floor.  
  
"Poppy, Albus has sent me down here to confirm that Miss. Vitale is free to go." Pure and utter joy spread across Poppy's face while at the same time Severus was looking miserable and annoyed. Quickly before anyone had anything else to say she jumped and practically skipped to the door, but not before a voice called her before she even left the room.  
  
"What now! You said to Poppy that I can go so what the hell do you want!" She gave him a dark and unhappy look. Severus knew this was going to be more difficult then he had originally thought. Beckoning her to sit in a chair he took a few steps back when she finally did sit so she wouldn't be able to strangle him. Chances were she was probably going to attempt murder after she heard the news.  
  
"I have some news that you might want to hear before you leave."  
  
"What?" she asked with a slight hint of annoyance in her voice.  
  
"Albus has assigned me to watch over you the-"  
  
"What! Why? In case any one doesn't know I am perfectly able to take care of myself. What do I look like to you? A child!"  
  
"No, you look like a stuffy, thick headed American who doesn't even know when her own life is in danger!" It was as if somebody had slapped her right across the face, she didn't know what to say. Why would her life be in danger? Well ok so she almost got blown up by the mad cherub, but still it was nothing more then a practical joke.  
  
"Why...how.who would?" She was a little baffled.  
  
"You will find out everything once you look at the letter your father sent you. Albus has arranged a meeting for us once you're done reading it. He feels that you need to know everything now."  
  
"Everything? What is there to know? What will reading a stupid letter accomplish?"  
  
"Are you hard of hearing!? Your questions will be answered once you read the Letter?" He was beginning to feel a little irritated.  
  
"Geez, what crawled up your ass and died?" He ignored that last statement and stood to leave, but stopped at the door when he realized she was still sitting in the chair.  
  
"Are you going to sit there and act like a statue or are you coming?" She stood up slowly and gave him a look that said "If you're smart you'll stay ten feet away from me" then quickly walked out the door.  
  
As soon as she left Poppy, who had been watching the whole thing from a distance, collapsed into the same chair that Stacey was just sitting in and began to cry tears of joy, thankful for the fact that she hopefully wouldn't have to see her for a very long time.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
Severus stood watching Stacey destroy nearly half her room looking for the piece of parchment that her father had owled to her a little over 2 months ago. He was startled by her behavior. She was going back and forth throwing things from the shelves and dressers searching franticly for one little piece of paper.  
  
"One would assume that you, being a professor, would keep papers organized? How do you grade papers?"  
  
"Huh, Oh I usually have everything in my office, but I kept that letter in my book bag which was in my room. Humm now where did I put it?" She was standing in the middle of the room now scratching her head and attempting to remember where she put her book bag that she had, had enchanted so her dad could pack all of her things. She looked irritable at Severus who was doing nothing more then standing there and watching her. "Well are you going to stand there and be a part of the scenery or are you going to help me?" He didn't even bother to look at her and for a minute she though that he was being an ass and ignoring her.  
  
"What are you looking for?"  
  
"A book bag. You know a pouch that you keep things in.has a zipper..straps." he looked lost. "Do you have any idea what I'm talking about?"  
  
"Yes, I know what you are referring to. Miss Vitale- " She crossed her arms and glared at him, once again she was being referred to as a student or something. What? Did he have a problem remembering that she did have a first name? It's not that hard after all.  
  
"Excuse me, but didn't we go over this once before. Severus, as hard as this is to believe I was given a first name. You can at least do me one favor since you are going to be my shadow and call me by my first damn name?" Rolling his eyes he picked up where he left off.  
  
"Fine, Stacey, I know what you are referring to, but we are not looking for a book bag I believe that your job right now Is to look for the letter!"  
  
"Well you know I happened to just put the letter in the damn book bag that's why I'm looking for it instead of the letter. And another thing, stop standing there and make yourself useful." She watched as he went into his robes and pulled out his wand. "And just what do you think your doing. I don't think blasting my belongings is going to help us find anything!" Not paying her any attention, he stuck his wand in the air and said a spell.  
  
"Accio book bag" Instantly the book bag came flying out from under the bed and into Severus's hand. She couldn't believe it, all that searching and he could have just done that in the first place.  
  
"Why didn't you do that before you good for nothing-" She was unable to finish the sentence because Severus, being the gentleman that he was, threw the heavy book bag at her knocking Stacey a few steps back. After a few minutes of mumbling what sounded like death wishes to the man in front of her and searching she finally found what she was looking for.  
  
Holding the parchment up in triumph she quickly threw the book bag back under her bed and took a seat at her desk staring at the un open letter. She really didn't want to open it. What if it said that he disowned her or something, then what? Would she lose the only family that she had left? Right now she would love to be doing anything else then sitting here and having to read the letter her dad sent her. She could always put the letter down and run as far as she could out of the room. There was just one problem with that, Severus was blocking the door way.  
  
"Stacey, If you don't open that letter soon I'll be forced to come over there and read it for you. I'm sure you wouldn't want that now would you?" There it was, that damn smirk! How she wished she could go over there and smack it right off his face.  
  
"Have you no consideration ?"  
  
"No as a matter of fact I don't. Now will you please hurry up with that damn letter?"  
  
"Ok, Fine." She grabbed the letter in pure anger and ripped the seal of it, then unfolded it and began to read.  
Stacey,  
  
Well I figured sooner or later you would one day come across that old book. If you're wondering, it belonged to your mother and was used as a port key to Hogwarts. Albus has written to me of your arrival and from what I heard you made a stunning entrance. Hope Severus isn't too made at you for dropping in on him. I have written you for a reason though, Stacey, and I think it's about time that I told you the truth about me and your mother.  
  
Your mother and I were assigned to go into hiding and protect you from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. We were Aurors. I cannot tell you why we had to protect you, I feel that is something only your grandfather can tell you; after all he is headmaster of this school. I have written him a letter telling him that if anything were to happen to you then he should tell you everything, but only after you read this letter. I hade a hunch that you would have never opened it unless forced. I love you very much, my daughter. Please be safe and know that if anything happens then you always have a place to turn too.  
  
With Love,  
  
Dad.  
  
She didn't know what to think, there were too many thoughts swimming in her head. There was one big thing that stood out though. "I feel that is something only your grandfather can tell you; after all he is the headmaster of this school." Why the hell didn't he tell her? And the fact that he knew just made it even worse.  
  
Still holding the parchment she got up and walked slowly to the door without even looking at the body guard her grandfather had assigned her. She didn't care if he followed her to his office. She just had to know why the hell he didn't tell her and if Severus wanted to come along for the ride then so be it. If he tried to stop her though he ran a high risk of dieing early.  
  
"Where are you going?" He asked not really caring.  
  
"To go se my grandfather, remember we have a meeting with him." he voice was flat and had no emotion to it. Then she left the room running as fast as she could to the one person who would know all the answers....her Grandfather.  
  
A.N: Hah I bet you didn't see any of that comming.. HA HA! well anyway the chapters will be posted a little slower now.. So please be very pachient. But I would like to thank the ppl who were kind enough to review and if you guys can find ppl to read it then by all means tell them about it. Once again thank you... 


	11. My Guardian Angel Lost

CH 11  
  
She had been running for what seemed like forever (Acutely it was only 20 minutes and she had gotten lost.) Severus had been close behind her, attempting to keep up, but with very little success. He wasn't sure what was wrong with her since he couldn't read the letter that she had reacted so badly too. In this case the worst possible thing that he could think of was that her father cut her supply of candy off, after all that's all she seemed to eat. Too caught up in his thoughts he didn't realize that she made a turn and went in another direction while he kept running straight.  
  
Stacey now stood in front of the giant stone gargoyle that stood between her and Dumbledore's office. She shouted every candy she could think of at the giant statue, but to no success. The damn thing still stood not moving.  
  
"Stupid piece of shit MOVE!" she shouted while kicking the base of the gargoyle. That didn't seem to do anything, but break every bone in her foot.  
  
"Peppermint Imps" Came the exhausted voice from behind her. It was Severus, a very flushed and tired Severus. He didn't seem all to happy with the idea of running after her and trying to make sure that she didn't get herself killed. She was about to scold him for being an idiot and not telling her the password sooner, but the gargoyle moved and she ran up the stair case slamming the door open.  
  
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!?" She screamed. From the looks of it she scared poor Fawks right off his perch and startled Severus, who by this point was in a chair trying to catch his breath. The only one in the room who wasn't affected by her loud entrance was Dumbledore. It was almost as if he had been expecting her to come in and scream at the top of her lungs. Calmly he stood up and walked over to where she stood and put a loving hand on the top of her head to calm her down.  
  
"It was for your own safety Stacey." He moved away from her and went to his desk and sat down.  
  
"What the hell do you mean for my own safety!?" She took a deep long breath to try and prevent the tears that were about to come pouring out." I want to know what is going on. Why were my parents hiding out from He-Who-...Oh whatever the fuck his name is! Please tell me...I want to know everything starting with who my mother really was." When she was done she walked to a seat across from his desk and sat down waiting for him to begin.  
  
"Your mother, Stacey, was one of the best Aurors that that the wizarding world has ever seen. She was partnered up with another Auror named Alaster Moody.." Severus gave a snort of degust at hearing this name. Stacey, who still wasn't in a mood to hear anything that he had to say, got up from her chair and kicked him as hard as she could in the leg and told him to shut his mouth. Albus, who was watching the whole thing, gave a look of amusement at the both of them and waited until she was seated again before continuing." Yes well, as I was saying, together they were responsible for bringing in more the 134 Death Eaters. After the fall of Voldemort she met an American Auror, your father and soon they were married. Stacey, there is also something else that you need to know. Your mother was murdered..."  
  
"WHAT!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Everyone had told her, her mother died of cancer. How the hell did they just let it slip that she had happened to be murdered? Was her whole god damn life a lie? What else had she not been told?  
  
"Before your mother died she and your father both had agreed with me that it would be safer to just keep you away from the wizarding world until Voldemort was destroyed. They had remained hidden for some time, but several months ago your mother was found, tortured, and killed. From what I understand they are now looking for you."  
  
"But why?"  
  
"Stacey do you realize what you are?"  
  
"A muggle?" He gave a small smile and shook his head no.  
  
"A witch?"  
  
"Yes." Well duhh why didn't she see it before. Feeling very stupid, she got up and started to pace the room. That still didn't answer why the Death Eaters where after her. There were witches and wizards all over the place, why would they come after her?  
  
"Well what does being a witch have to do with anything. That still doesn't answer why there after me or why they tried to kill me. What the hell do they want!?"  
  
"I believe I could answer that." Stacey and Albus both turned to look at Severus. She gave him a look of confusion while Albus didn't seem to surprised that he knew about the Death Eaters.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"For awhile now, the dark lord has been telling us about a key weapon that could be used to destroy Hogwarts and how it is essential that we locate it. This weapon was in the form of a young witch, for months he has sent followers to go and find her."  
  
"Severus, what did he say about her?" Asked Dumbledore.  
  
"He described her as being the daughter of the auror that was tortured a few months back." He looked over at Stacey. "I believe Albus, that this is the woman that he was looking for."  
  
"I'm a weapon? What is wrong with him...what the hell did I ever do to him?" She now began to pace the room very quickly." Look if he gives you such a problem then why don't you just blow him up with a bomb or something? I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't be able to withstand an attack like that."  
  
"Is that the only way you Americans know how to deal with a problem; Blow it up?" Scowled Severus  
  
"No, but it sounds better then going aginst him with a wand? What do you plan to do huh? Poke him to death, oh yea real good idea?"  
  
"You silly girl! If we could get rid of him that easily don't you think we would have done it in the first place! He can't be stopped by simple means such as that!"  
  
"Simple! An atomic bomb is not simple. If we were to drop one here at Hogwarts everything within 50 miles of here would be destroyed! Now tell me if that's simple."  
  
"He is protected by magic; the only way to defeat magic is with magic. Can you not grasp that in your tiny little mind?"  
  
"Oh that's it!" If Albus hadn't casted a levitation spell on her he would have been looking for another potions master right about now. Inches away from his face she did manage to give him a good punch which did leave a nice red mark on his cheek. She really did have enough of his rude and snide behavior never had she met a man who always acted as though he had a stick up his ass.  
  
Clutching his cheek with his right hand he was about to pounce on her when Albus came out of nowhere and created a barrier between. When he spoke his voice was full of annoyance. "Severus, I would have expected better manners from you, especially towards my granddaughter." The look on his face was priceless, his lips were moving, but nothing was comming out. Stacey, who was still hanging in mid air, couldn't pass up this opportunity.  
  
"Severus Snape, you are not a fish." He quickly closed his mouth, but before he could regain the ability to talk again Dumbledore turned around and gave a look of authority to her. Stacey, who was smiling a moment ago, looked up into her grandfather's eyes and sank her head low. She felt as if she disappointed him, and it gave her a sense of pain inside her heart.  
  
"You know my dear, you are like you mother in many ways." Her head shot back up and saw that the frown was replaced by a smile and that there was now a twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, which is why I assigned Severus to watch you."  
  
"Oh joy." she said in a dull and sarcastic voice. Her grandfather was right though in assigning Severus to watch her. The one thing she liked to do was get into trouble. It wasn't that she was a bad person or tried to get into trouble it's just that she would tend to stick her nose in things that weren't any of her business. 'Why do I have to be stuck with him...He'll probably be more of a threat to me then that Darth Vader wanna be.'  
  
"Umm, Grandpa." Boy did that feel weird...but what else do I call him now? "The one thing I don't understand is why he's after me in the first place. I mean sure he was talking about some weapon, but what does that have to do with anything? The last time I checked the only thing I could do with a wand was throw it." She remembered a few weeks ago when that little slime ball Draco had his wand and was about to blast some red headed boy out the hall, but before he could even get the words out she grabbed his wand, moved over to a window, and threw it into the lake. "Oh and one more thing, can you put me down I'm beginning to get a crink in my neck" After she was on the ground she gave him a thanks and waited for him to begin.  
  
"Stacey, there was a reason why Trelawney's door blew up." She froze, so it wasn't a bug problem? Then could that old owl be right? Is she evil?  
  
"Oh my god, it's true! I do have a black aura. The owl was right. I have to leave if she's right about that then she's right about me being a danger to the school. I-"  
  
"No no, not at all, far from it as a matter of fact you posses a very rare gift."  
  
"What to explode the doors of crazed lunatics."  
  
"In a way yes." She was being sarcastic, she didn't acutely mean for that to be her rare gift.  
  
"What so I blow things up?"  
  
"It's not as simple as that, but yes you do blow things up." This was bad, she didn't want to have this ability. It could be dangerous for the people around her, what if one day she sneezed or something and she accidentally took out half the school or even worse kill someone. She wasn't ready for this. Dumbledore must have been able to read her mind, because he went over to her and gave her a hug while giving her a solution to her questions. "Don't worry about not being able to control your power yet. I have someone who might be able to help with that."  
  
Severus, who by this point had been sitting quietly in his chair after hearing the shocking news, automatically knew what was comming. Please please, no I'll stop being an insufferable bastard I promise. I'll even award Gryffindor 1000 house points just please don't say what I think he's going to say! Albus then turned to face him while having one arm around Stacey's shoulder. "Since our DADA professor is erm....a little busy. Severus will be instructing you and training you to use your power." NOOOOOOOO!! Now he had the misfortune of having to teach a walking time bomb how to use her special "gift" and in the process not get blown up himself. What else could happen?  
  
"Before you two leave, I was wondering if you could possibly give me an example so we both know what kind of power your dealing with." he took out his wand and transfigured one of his books into a standing, stuffed dummy. Cute, and look it's in the shape of a human. Meaby if I pretend that it's Lockhart....."Now I want you to concentrate on the target and use both your hands to direct the power." For some reason when she was getting ready to concentrate both men took a good 20 steps back away from her and with good reason. When she had launched her power everything except the target exploded, as a matter of fact the wall was no longer there either.  
  
"Umm I'm guessing that wasn't suppose to happen."  
  
"I suppose were going to need a little work, don't you think Severus." When she turned to look at him she noticed he looked a little shocked and pale. Where in his resamay did it say that he worked with little nova bombs.  
  
"On one condition."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"We train outside, there is no way I will allow my potions lab to be destroyed by her bad aim."  
  
"Done. Now Stacey you do realize that this makes you a witch, which means your going to need a wand."  
  
"I don't have to go back to Diagon Ally do I?" She didn't want to go back there and risk the chance of running into Lucifer...Oh I'm sorry I meant Lucious, and his son the little weasel.(or ferret hee hee)  
  
"No, I believe that I can arrange for Mr. Ollivander to come here over the weekend. In the meantime I think it's better if you went into your rooms and get some rest. Severus will you take her back to her rooms?"  
  
"Yes I-"  
  
"Oh wait!" she squealed and ran over to his desk after noticing some candy that she didn't see until now. They were Lemon Drops and were one of her favorite candies. "Can I have some of those before I go?"  
  
"Why yes, help yourself." She quickly grabbed a hand full and trotted back to her grandfather to give him a small peck on the cheek.  
  
"Please, don't tell me you like those things too?"  
  
"Yea, Why." He gave a pleading look at Albus and then a disgruntled look at her. Now he knew where she got the sugar addiction from.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
Stacey sat in the hospital wing waiting for the man in the bed to wake up. She had been there all day and most of the night waiting and hoping that he wasn't dead. The moon was out and she was drifting in her thoughts. It had been a total accident, but still she played the scean over and over in her head thinking that it had been her fault.  
  
"Severus! Open this door now! It's Saturday and I want to practice! Stop being a prick, you have to get this over with sooner or later!" She stepped back from the door after she heard the quick foot steps from within the room. The door was swung open and there stood the most irritable man alive.  
  
"WHAT!" He spat  
  
"You heard what my grandfather said, you have to help me."  
  
"I'm sorry, but I can't give you that type of help."  
  
"I'm not mental!"  
  
"One would question that."  
  
"Oh, shut up already unless you would prefer your door as a mound of tiny splinters?"  
  
"You wouldn't." His voice was full of menis  
  
"If you don't want to help me with my control then I will be forced to use your door for target practice." Stacey swore that she heard him growl under his breath, but when she though that he was about to slam the door in her face he told her to meet him on the Quidditch pitch in half an hour and then went back into his classroom.  
  
"Ah, looks like you got of easy today." Stacey said pointing to the door and looking like a mad person. "Don't feel smug Mr. Door, one day I will blow you into little tiny bits. Muhahahahaha." She was startled when the door slammed open again.  
  
"Will you stop threatening my door and leave?" Making a mental to perhaps not do that again she smiled and sprinted down the hall way and up to a flight of stairs.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
Severus stood in the middle of the Quidditch pitch waiting for the now late Stacey to arrive. He still couldn't figure out why she managed to be late for everything. Just when he was about to leave he heard his name being called.  
  
"Severus, hey do you know where the entrance is?" She couldn't figure out how to get in. (A.N: Ok you can't blame me, I mean in the movie there is no way to get in unless you have a broom or you climb the stairs..but the stairs only took you to the seats. Where's the entrance!?) She was running around the outside of the Quidditch pitch franticly trying to find a way in, if she didn't discover one soon she would make one.  
  
Finally she became so exhausted that she stopped running and collapsed on the ground looking up at the sky. "Haven't these people ever heard of a door?" A few moments past and still she was on the ground and no closer to finding the entrance. Suddenly a shadow loomed over her and said in an irritated voice. "It doesn't help to run around like a crazed chicken with its head cut off."  
  
"Hey, how did you get out here? Weren't you in there a couple of minutes ago?"  
  
"Well-if-you-get-up-I-will-show-you." He said in a slow voice. It sounded like he was talking to a four year old.  
  
"That's not funny." She stated plainly  
  
"Then get up and follow me."  
  
"Yes, sir." She saluted him and then swiftly got to her feet.  
  
After what seemed like five minutes they finally got to a pair of stairs that lead to the seats up top. Stacey gave him a look that told him there was no way she was climbing those stairs.  
  
"What do I look like? A monkey? I'm not climbing all the way up there just so you know."  
  
"We're not climbing. There is a gap in-between the stairs that should lead us to the pitch." As they walked and ducked he turned back to her. "I am curious as to know why you couldn't find the entrance on your own? Even a child could figure it out."  
  
"Oh yea, real simple. What planet are you from again?" He leered at her  
  
"It would be wise not to test my patients, Stacey."  
  
"Oh my god, he said my name!" She had a shocked expression on her face, but it was fake. He ignored her last comment and before they both realized it, were on the pitch.  
  
Stacey had never been here before, It was amazing. She figured that three or four football fields would fit into this thing and even though it was winter the grass was as green as a golf course's. At each side there were three large golden hoops each a different height. How they played this game she didn't know, from the looks of it you had to get a ball or something into the hoops.  
  
"Severus."  
  
"What?" He was twenty feet in front of her transfiguring some items into targets.  
  
"Umm how exactly do you play Quidditch? I mean from the looks of it there is no way to reach those hoops."  
  
"They are only intangible from here, but not when you're on a broom stick. Do you know nothing?"  
  
"Well excuse me for not hearing about the damn sport! It's not exactly common in my world for people to zip around on cleaning supplies!" she snapped and he rounded on her.  
  
"One would think that an idiot such as yourself would be able to pick up on it by now. After all we've had plenty of games since you were here. Are you that oblivious?" They were both glaring at one another, there anger and rage equal. Severus had a look that would make a first year pee in his pants and run crying in the other direction, hers was just as bad.  
  
"I hope some miracle happens and one of those hoops falls and lands on your big, fat, ugly head." His teeth were clenched and if he hadn't turned away when he did one of them would have probably ended up in the hospital wing.....again. Moving over to the target he levitated it with his wand and floated it in the air.  
  
"We are going to work on your aim today since I know you can release your power. Please try not to take out a wall of the Quidditch pitch." He silently smirked to himself as she fumed... insufferable bastard. And to think she had a crush on him. "Now on the count of three I want you to make the target explode. That shouldn't be too hard." She silently mocked him since he was to busy looking for a place to run once he said three.  
  
"One!"  
  
She began to breathe slowly in and out.  
  
"Two!" Severus was in a ready position to run and she was pretending that dummy were him instead of just a fake manikin.  
  
"Three!" He took off as fast as he could to the other end of the field while she released her power. She hit the bag, but there was a small problem. Her aim was a little off and with the target she also managed to blow a big chunk out of the base of one of the big hoops. She was too shocked and worried to realize that it was tilting and begging to fall. They would kill her for sure, those hoops were probably solid gold and worth a fortune.  
  
Severus had noticed the mistake she made and was rushing to push her out of the way. If she didn't move she would be crushed and Dumbledore wouldn't be too happy with knowing that her Granddaughter was crushed under one of the Quidditch poles. He lunged at her and managed to knock her out of the way. Stacey looked on horror struck as she watched her savior lie limp under the pole.  
  
"Severus!" She scratched as loudly as she could not knowing what else to do. She couldn't run all the way back to the school to get someone. If he was still alive she had to act now. But what could she do? Lifting it would be impossible; the damn thing was at least 20 tons. There was only one thing to do, but what if she injured him in the process. Well it's better then nothing, either he's crushed to death or blown up. What have I got to lose? Mustering up all the courage in her she took a few steps back.  
  
"Pleasedon'tmisspleasedon'tmisspleasedon'tmiss!" She was chanting so fast that you could barely make out what she was saying. She aimed and fired, smoke came up from where she had hit. She got the pole, but wouldn't know until the dust cleared weather or not she severed his body too.  
  
The smoked cleared and too her great relief she didn't miss. The giant hoop was smashed into bits and pieces, but was no longer crushing the potions master. Once she knew that he was not dead by checking his pulse she made a mad dash to the school and informed poppy of what happened.  
  
That had been eight hours ago and she now found herself curled up in a chair by his bead side waiting for him to awake. Everyone had told her it had not been her fault, that it was an accident and it couldn't have been avoided. But she knew better, it was her who forced him to go out there in the first place and her who was dumb enough not to move out of the way; that should have been her under there not him. What was that saying her mother use to tell her, if you wish something bad on others it will turn true. Mom how right you were. If she hadn't told him that she wished him under one of those things then none of this would have ever happened.  
  
"I'm sorry, Severus." Then she laid her head on his bed and cried. 


	12. The Telling of the Past

CH12 The Telling of the Past  
  
Days passed and the man who lay in front of her still did not awake, Stacey was growing thinner and paler from lack of sleep and food and the little sleep she did get was from lying her head on his bed and napping, She didn't dare leave his side incase he were to wake up, she needed to apologize to him, but most importantly make sure he wasn't dead. Dumbledore had attempted to get his granddaughter to eat, but that proved to be futile. She was in a state of depression and it was beginning to worry him  
  
She sat on a chair with her legs drawn to her chin and her arms wrapped around them. Her eyes were red rimmed from all the crying and her voice cracked. But even though her features were pale and dull the one thing that did stand out were her eyes. Her yellow-green eyes were bright with color, the funny thing was that no matter what she did she couldn't hide there color. Oblivious to the world because of her sorrow she didn't notice the older man who stood behind her, watching. He watched as she rocked back and forth humming a tune that sounded strangely familiar to him. "I believe that is the lullaby I use to sing to you when you were just a baby." She nearly fell out of her chair when she snapped her head back to look at him.  
  
"When I was a baby?" Her voice was cracked and barely above a whisper.  
  
"I use to visit you every night and sing you too sleep, much against your mother's and father's will." He pulled up a chair beside her and sat down. "The tune you were just humming would be a tune Fawk sings. From what I remember it was the most effective way to put you to sleep."  
  
"It was something I would always use to hum to myself whenever I was frightened or worried and somehow it always would calm me down." She paused and turned her eyes away from Severus to look into her grandfather's blue eyes. "Why did you stop? I mean visiting me and all, did you just stop caring?" He looked hurt and confused by this and she instantly regretted saying that. But living everyday knowing that someone important in your life who wasn't dead hurt also, she had to know what happened and why he didn't want to be a part of her life anymore.  
  
"Stacey, I never stopped caring about you or your mother. It was a danger to have me in your life, a danger for you to know about the wizarding world. I couldn't risk that chance of having Voldemort destroy your and your parents." Oh yes, him again. This Voldemort character was really begging to be a pain in her side. She now knew that everyone was affected by him in one way or another even if it wasn't direct.  
  
"Why would he come after me though when he didn't know about my power? I mean isn't he suppose to fear you?" Her eyes were filling with tears again.  
  
"Yes, and that is exactly why he would come after you. My family is my weakness, without you and your mother he figured that I would crumble and fall. I lost one of you and I'm not about to lose the other." She was so confused between sorrow and joy that she that she started to cry once again and flung her arms around his neck and began to ramble on about nothing, she sounded like a little child trying to seek comfort from a parent.  
  
"It's all my fault, If it wasn't for my stupidity then he wouldn't be in this condition. I'm tired of that ass Voldemort destroying my life, he's over rated and from what I heard a real coward! I wish the U.S army finds his ass and kicks the shit out of it!" Her voice was muffled, but she was crying so hard that it really didn't matter. Even if her face wasn't buried in her grandfather's robes you wouldn't be able to understand her.  
  
"Not only are you like your mother, but you remind me of myself." She stopped crying and for the first time in days looked him in the face and smiled. For some reason that made her feel better and took her mind off her pain for the moment.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Oh yes, I can see much of me when I was your age in you. And if I'm not mistaken you also have another gift that you inherited from me." She gave him a baffled look and shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Mind reading?"  
  
"No, and as much as everyone would like to think I am not a mind reader."  
  
"Yea right." She muttered, but he gave her a look of amusement.  
  
"If you must know it's the ability to see auras." She couldn't believe it, so that's where she got it from and all this time she thought it was a mutation or something.  
  
"Is that how you're so good at telling who a person really is?"  
  
"I knew eventually someone would discover my secret." He winked at her and she laughed. It felt wonderful like all the weight from her shoulders had been lifted." Oh, and before I forget it seems that Miss. Wallach is somewhat attached to you."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well over the past few days she has come stomping in my office demanding where you were; it even seems that she went as far as blasting Mr. Malfoy into a wall, demanding what he did to you." His eyes gave a twinkle, much like her own when she knew something that the other person didn't.  
  
"Oh my, she didn't! I hope poor Draco is alright." There was no drop of concern in her voice anywhere; truthfully she could have cared less if he was eaten by a dragon. She was acutely very amused about the whole thing.  
  
"Seems that he only suffered a minor injury. He was treated for an arm break and was sent back to class." He sounded just as amused.  
  
"Well I guess that was minor considering I known she could have done a lot worse." Her smiles then turned back to frowns when she looked back over at the bed. "Grandpa?"  
  
"Stacey, he'll be fine. All he needs is some rest and he'll be back on his feet soon." He then noticed the far away look on her face and knew she was mentally scolding herself for letting this happen. "This was in no way your fault; I don't want you blaming yourself for something that couldn't have been helped." She quietly shook her head and gave another smile, but unlike the other one this did not reach her eyes.  
  
"Now, I want you to get some sleep and in the morning after you've had breakfast you may come back and resume your post here as watch dog." He gave a small chuckled. "I will be sending some house elves up to bring you dinner, I want you to eat."  
  
"Ok, I will. Do you mind if I take the week off or at least until he wakes up?"  
  
"I have no problem; I will fill in for your classes in the mean time." She gave him a hug and slowly walked to the door, stopping at the door way.  
  
"Goodnight, Grandpa." She then left  
  
"Goodnight, my little sun and stars." He whispered to himself.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
There was a buzzing noise and Stacey couldn't figure out weather it was in her head or the outside world. Last night had been horrible, she couldn't sleep until two in the morning and she had such a head ache that when she woke up it felt like a hang over, but it was only from all the crying she did. The buzzing noise was from that infernal alarm clock she had, it was the most annoying sound in the world, but it always got her up in the morning. Reaching over she tried to shut it off, but before her hand reached it the noise stopped. Someone was in her room, with her and whoever it was better run before she lifted the covers off her head otherwise they would be in for a nasty surprise.  
  
She flung the covers off, but the surprise came to her when she was looking in the eyes of her best friend Laurelle. Her fists were clenched and from the looks of it she wasn't too happy.  
  
"Where the hell have you been!? Do you know what kind of hell I went threw looking for you? I was worried sick that you might have been killed by that slime ball Malfoy."  
  
"Whoa, calm down I-"  
  
"Calm down! Calm down! I can't, you were gone and I-"  
  
"Well if you will stop venting off steam then I can tell you what happened." Stacey couldn't tell weather it was a blush of embarrassment or a flushing from the anger. She and Laurelle had spent over an hour talking about what happened and her new power that she discovered. Also that Dumbledore was really her grandfather, which must have been something of amazement to Laurelle because she looked shocked.  
  
"Really, he's your Grandfather? I wouldn't have guessed in a million years!"  
  
"Well no shit, I mean really what qualities do we have." Laurelle gave her a stern look. "No I mean an obvious quality, something you can see right off hand. Not many people would know that he and I are able to see auras."  
  
"Umm your both not afraid of Snape I mean-" Laurelle took one look at Stacey's sadden face and stopped talking. She had forgotten the Stacey nearly killed him and felt termendisouly(Yea spelled wrong.my spell checker won't correct it.) guilty. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring it up, you know how forgetful I can be sometimes and-"  
  
"No don't worry about it, I rather talk about it to someone then keep it inside all bundled up and have it eat away at me. I still feel as if it's my fault that he almost died and even though everyone says it's not I know that I could have prevented it."  
  
"You talk as if he's already dead and six feet under. They're right you know, It wasn't your fault, but I won't lie to you. You could have prevented it by being under there yourself. To me that doesn't seem like a big improvement, well partly because it's not. But the one thing I know about Snape is he's a fighter and I'm sure he won't give you or anyone else for that matter the satisfaction of dieing."  
  
"Are you serious?" Laurelle's smile grew  
  
"His stubbornness and pride rival that of Lockhart's fat ego."  
  
"Well I do have to admit that he seems determined to make everyone's life a living hell."  
  
"Too late for that." She muttered. Stacey glared at her while she tried to cover it up with a cough "Stacey please don't worry about it, your intoriable when you're upset, remember Valentines day."  
  
"Yea." She paused for a minute not quit sure what else to say. "Look I can't forget about it, but I promise that I will try to be a little happier around you."  
  
Laurelle gave a warm and happy smile then sat down next to her on the bed "I think Dumbledore is a little peeved at me."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well for one I nearly destroyed that stone gargoyle of his when it wouldn't let me pass-"  
  
"Is that what happened to his head?" She was talking to herself just as much as she was talking to Laurelle.  
  
"What, did you pass his office?"  
  
"No."  
  
"No?"  
  
"I saw the head of the statue a few halls down." Laurelle rolled her eyes at the ceiling and whistled innocently to herself. "Aw, don't worry about it I took out his wall in his office. He now has a wonderful view of the lake." Stacey saw the shocked expression on her face and laughed.  
  
"How the hell did you manage that?"  
  
"Umm he wanted to see if I could control my power or not."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And I missed."  
  
"That must have been some miss I mean you took out a whole wall."  
  
"Your not being very helpful."  
  
"Sure I am, you just don't know it."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Never mind." Stacey shook her head and hugged her best friend.  
  
"Hey I heard you did a number on Malfoy."  
  
"Oh yes...Malfoy." Her voice was dripping with hate for him.  
  
"What exactly did you do to him?"  
  
"I blasted him into a wall with my wand and asked him how it feels to kiss the floor."  
  
"I would have loved to see that."  
  
"Oh, but that's not the good part."  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"Well when he didn't tell me what he did to you I blasted his arm and broke the bone." For a little person she sure did pack a punch.  
  
"But Laurelle, he didn't do anything to me. I had spent the past few days at the hospital wing watching and waiting for Severus to wake up. I don't even want to imagine what's going to happen when 'His father hears about this'" Stacey was mocking Draco and Laurelle was nearly fell on the floor in a fit of laughter.  
  
"Imagine what I was thinking when I heard he didn't do anything. Not only was I scared shitless, but I ran to Dumbledore and told him the shit I had gotten myself into."  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"Not to worry about it, although I should probably avoid his dad if I see him in the school."  
  
"I would imagine so...I mean it would be idiocy to run into the man who I'm sure by this point wants to kill you."  
  
"Gee, now look who's being helpful" Laurelle said, voice dripping with sarcasm. Stacey had ignored her and was now watching the clock; it didn't hit her that breakfast was almost half way over until Laurelle made a comment about it.  
  
"I'm guessing you didn't have breakfast yet?" Stacey's eyes grew wide  
  
"Oh my god...breakfast!" She jumped up and ran into her closet dragging out some baggy sweatpants and a tank top. She was frantically trying to get everything on and nearly fell on her face when she attempted to get her sock on while moving on one foot to her mirror.  
  
"Mind me asking what you're doing."  
  
"Grandpa..I mean Dumbledore said that if I showed up at breakfast then I could spend more time at the infirmary."  
  
"So you won't be teaching classes today."  
  
"Acutely, I won't be teaching classes for a week." Laurelle looked horrorified  
  
"What then who will fill in for you."  
  
"Why who else, Lockhart." If it was possible her face grew more mortified then what it was already. "I'm kidding, I'm not going to tell you, but I promise you'll enjoy him."  
  
"But who-" Before she could finish her sentence Stacey ran out the room leaving a very confused Laurelle trying to kill a beetle that had landed on her nose.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
Everyone looked on in shock as the doors to the great opened and revealed a panting Stacey. She ran the entire way from her room to the great hall just so she could make it to breakfast, but looking who sat at the head table made her wish she hadn't come at all. It was the devil himself, sitting there evil as sin. Lucious Malfoy. Meaby she should go quickly and warn Laurelle that now wasn't the best time to go and get breakfast, but before she could turn around and get to the door he stood up and shouted across the hall.  
  
"Ah, Professor Vitale please come and join us." She looked over at her grandfather to see what he had to say and to her grave disappointment he nodded his head yes, but he didn't look to happy about it. Mumbling to herself all the way to the table she pulled out a seat next to Lockhart and attempted to sit down. "Oh no my dear, your seat is right here." He stood up and pulled a seat out for her and she hesitated for a second. It's not that she feared him or anything it's just that she would rather kiss a toad then have him near her. This man was someone not to be taken lightly and she knew that the only question now was how she would get out of it.  
  
"You know I really should be-"  
  
"Nonsense." When she sat down he drew his face closer to her, his voice dark and full of threat. "I wouldn't recommend going aginst me Miss. Vitale." It took her everything not to get up and go to the bathroom to hurl.  
  
"Don't you even think about threating me. If you wish me to stay then move you pale vulgar face away from mine." She whispered threw clenched teeth. He jerked back and gave a cold laugh.  
  
"Ah, it seems that you Americans do posses that fighting spirit, I'm impressed. But it would be best to control it."  
  
"Look is there a reason why you called me over here."  
  
"Yes, I would like you to attend a 'dinner party' I'm having in a week. You will need a descent pair of robes not these," He looked at her sweat pants and tank top in disgust. "rags that you have on. You will also be required a date or companion, might I suggest Severus. It seems after all that you two are close."  
  
Yea, if you call squashing him with a Quidditch hoop close then we are like two peas in a pod. She though. Then she remembered what both Laurelle and Severus said about him. 'Don't go near him!' she imagined both of there voices screaming it at her in usion. Quickly she got up completely forgetting to eat and stared down at him. "I'm so sorry Mr. Malfoy, but it just seems that I am terribly busy for the next few weeks and will not be able to attend and I really must be leaving. My scheduled is very full and I need to get an early start on things." She didn't even bother to say bye and instead power walked to the two big doors that served as an entrance to the great hall.  
  
When she blasted out of the great hall she saw Laurelle and quickly grabbed her by the elbow dragging her in the opposite direction. "Hey....what the? What are you doing?" she wailed  
  
"Nope, you don't want to go in there trust me Laurelle." She shook her head violently, still dragging her.  
  
"And why the fuck not?"  
  
"Because the Devil is visiting, that's why." Laurelle looked shocked and scared.  
  
"He...he...why...?"  
  
"I donno, but I hope to god that he doesn't ask me again-" Stacey saw the confused look on Laurelle's face. "He asked me to some dinner party and-"  
  
"Oh my God Stacey, tell me you said no!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Umm remember I told you he was a Death Eater?"  
  
"Yea."  
  
"Well I never mentioned there favorite past time did I?" Stacey stopped pulling Laurelle and ran into an empty classroom.  
  
"What, I thought serving Mr. Tall, dark, and Evil was all they lived for."  
  
"Humph, that's what you would think wouldn't ya?"  
  
"Stop answering me with questions!"  
  
"Why does it annoy you?" Stacey glared at her and Laurelle rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Ok fine."  
  
"Thank you"  
  
"Yea yea, anyway these little 'parties' they host aren't parties; well they are but not the kind you would think of."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Umm there enteramient."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Oh for Christ's sake Stacey do I have to spell it out for you?"  
  
"Well with the excellent way your describing this to me..."  
  
"God damit!"  
  
"It's not nice to use the Lords name in vain." Stacey smiled  
  
"I'm Jewish."  
  
"No your not!"  
  
"I know, I just thought it sounded good."  
  
"Would you just get on with it!"  
  
"Ok Ok, basically there not parties, it's more like one big orgy then anything."  
  
"Holy shit your kidding me right?"  
  
"No, I hate to say it but I'm not. But this isn't like your regular orgy though, instead of the woman coming willingly they usually capture muggles or muggle born woman and rape them while torturing them. It's all for sheer fun and it's sickening." Stacey looked like she was about ready to faint "That's why Snape told you to stay away from him, I just tell you to stay away from him because he's a slim ball."  
  
"Well I knew that!"  
  
"Of corse ya did dear."  
  
"I'm hungry."  
  
"Yea me too, hey lets go down and harass the house elves into giving us some food. There's no way I'm going in the Great Hall, Not with that little slime bag's father anyway."  
  
"Ok, but please do me a favor."  
  
"What?"  
  
"No tormenting the house elves. I remember the last time we went down there and you got them all wild up. Not only did you get months worth of detention, but as a teacher I got into serious trouble and some of them still refuse to even come near me."  
  
"Ok, ok. I promise." Stacey knew she was lieing so when they both went out the door she hit her in the back of the head with her two fingers.  
  
"Ouch! What did you do that for?" Yelled Laurelle  
  
"Oh no reason" And then they left  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
A.N: I am really sorry that I took so long to post this Ch up, But I have been having bad computer problems. No to mention I am trying to pass my Spanish class since my average is a C..*Glares at her Spanish book* Stupid book.and guys Severus isn't going to die so don't worry. Why would I ever want to get rid of him? He's my favorite if I had to get rid of anyone it would be that little brat Draco. But alas I can't do that yet either. I will have my avenge one day though muhahahaha. 


	13. Can a Potions Master Deal With Nitro?

CH13  
  
Once again Stacey had found herself sitting alone in the hospital wing waiting and talking to Severus, he wasn't awake, but she figured if she annoyed him enough then he would wake up to tell her to shut up. It wasn't working very well although she did manage to scare a couple of first years who thought she was going nuts. It was around 3:00 and the only thing to do was to count the cracks in the floor and try not to turn into a complete nutter. Although Stacey did find the time to come up with a new game called 'Things Professor Snape would never say' and thought up at least twenty different things, one of which was"20 points TO Gryffindor."  
  
"Ahhhh, come on already wake up! You're not dead are you?" She yelled at him while standing up to open his eyelids. "Hello, anybody home?" She sat back down again when he didn't respond and figured since she had nothing else to do she might as well speak he mind to him now. "You know something? I have never met a more stubborn, thickheaded, bitter, solitary, and stiffer man then you. Watch, one day someone is going to write a book on you and label it 'The mysteries of Severus Snape' because that's what you are a mystery. I've also noticed that whenever I ask you something you seem to get all defensive and try to change the subject directly. Now why is that? Personally I-"  
  
"Don't you stop to breathe?" Stacey nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the all too familiar voice address her.  
  
"You're awake!" She squealed happily, but then her voice took on a tone of regret. "Shit your awake!" Stacey was scared, she realized that he probably wasn't to happy being crushed by a 10 ton Quidditch hoop. Even though it wasn't her fault she was going to be the one blamed by him. "Look I'm really sorry about the ummm...accident." His face was impassive and it was making her neverous. "I swear to you that I will make it up...you saved my life and I'm not to sure what it means here in the wizarding world, but where I come from that is a deceleration of friendship and heroism."  
  
'Friendship? Heroism? God Stacey just keep digging that hole of yours and pretty soon you'll hit China.' She mentally scolded. She was sounding pretty stupid right now and from the look that Severus was giving her, he seemed to be thinking the same thing.  
  
"I do not need your thanks, nor do I want it. There was no deceleration of any kind Stacey, I just simply did not wish to be taken to Akzaban on the count of not being able to save Dumbledor's clumsy Granddaughter." He snarled with a sneer on his face while she fumed.  
  
"You mean I sat up here for a whole week waiting for your sorry ass to wake up and all I get is an insult. You know what; it's a real wonder why nobody has taken the liberty of choking you in your sleep yet! I felt guilty for having you being crushed into a pancake and all you can say is you don't want my thanks!" Stacey was so mad that she was turning red in the face. In one swift movement she picked up the glass of water next to his bed and dumped it on his head. "There take that you pig headed bastard!"  
  
Severus was in a state of shock, not only from the water, but from the yelling she gave him too. It wasn't even what she told him, but the fact that she had dared to raise her voice at all. She was still standing there glaring at him waiting for him to make one false move. He had no doubt in his mind that next she would throw the glass at him. He wasn't to sure how to act now and was quit sure that if he made one insult he would be unconscious for another week.  
  
"Don't just sit there looking at me like I'm crazy!" Stacey yelled  
  
"There is no other way to look at a crazy person." He shot back while attempting to stand up.  
  
"Why you...you...you!" She was at a loss of words and instead settled with clutching the glass in one hand and pointing at him with the other. If Poppy were to come back she would have a panic attack on the spot. Severus was standing looming over her while she attempted to find something nasty to call him. He wasn't much taller then her though, meaby about a half a foot at the most.  
  
She was tempted to punch him and hopefully put another notch in that big nose of his, but her mother had always said never to hit an ill man. When she was little she had once pushed her little cousin off her bed because she wanted to sleep, and since he was ill, couldn't' do anything about it. Well did she ever get in trouble; no T.V and friends for a whole month.(Aren't mother's great?) Even though her mother died she still was afraid that she would get that groundation for a whole month again if she laid a hand on him.  
  
Suddenly the door flew open and in came Poppy who saw one look at the situation and dropped the tray of potions she was carrying. "Poppy, he got up on his own. I had nothing to do with it." She said nervously.  
  
"Severus! What do you think you're doing out of bed! You need your rest, not looming over other professors and trying to scare them! And Stacey, since Severus is up and about I think you need to leave. The patient needs his rest-"  
  
"I will not be staying Poppy as you can see I am fine and-" He was cut off by Stacey who tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"Severus, It doesn't work trust me I tried it myself. The woman is as stubborn as a donkey. If you want to get out I suggest that you listen to her otherwise she'll make you stay for two weeks." Stacey gave Poppy a nasty look remembering the amount of time the woman made her stay.  
  
"Unlike you I do not have somebody telling Poppy to keep me locked up longer then necessary."  
  
"Hah, Severus I think your running out of material. Meaby you should go watch a few movies and find some new insults."  
  
"Woman! What in the bloody hell is a movie?"  
  
"You don't have movies!? What kind of a world is this?"  
  
"Would the two of you please be SLIENT!?" Poppy shouted ending their argument. "Severus I see that you are not as injured as you appear you may leave and please take her with you."  
  
"Hey what is that suppose to mean?" But she was ignored and as soon as Severus was dressed called for her to follow.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
"Hey where are we going?" Stacey asked him. They had been walking all around the castle going into the deepest recess of Hogwarts. He knew where he was going, but she hadn't the faintest idea where she was. It looked like she was in the dungeons it was dark and cold. But not even the dungeons looked this menacing. It was a dark hallway and the only light was of that from the torches on the wall. There was a breeze blowing in the narrow and long hallway even though there were no windows and no possible way for that to happen.  
  
"You will see." He said while his robes blew giving him the illusion of being a vampire.  
  
"No I don't want to see."  
  
"Stop acting like a child."  
  
"I am not acting like a child. For your information I am a full fledged adult."  
  
"Forgive me for not caring." Stacey muttered something nasty under her breath while Severus pretended not to hear. They had been walking for two more minutes like that, bickering back and forth between one another until finally something got into Severus's way and he tripped, startling Stacey.  
  
"Hah, that's what you get for calling me a child. Neener,neener,neener." Stacey teased while sticking her tong out at him. She stood there laughing nonstop until he got up and took his wand out of his sleeve. It was then that she recknoized the ball of fur that was attempting to escape the nasty spells that were being thrown in it's direction.  
  
"PEPPER!" She screeched after he nearly got his tail blown off. "Severus, stop, stop, that is my cat you're trying to blast into oblivation."  
  
"That bloody cat, the damn thing has been following me ever since you brought him here!" He bellowed still attempting to blow it into the ground.  
  
"Well meaby he likes you. Now stop trying to kill my cat and leave him be unless you want to be in that hospital bed again." He shot her a look that specifically said "I dare you"  
  
"Don't give me that look! Now leave him ALONE!" He stood for a moment a little taken aback by her over protectiveness for the damned creature. That was all the time pepper needed to slip past him and into his mistress's arms." Aww.. did the big mean UGLY man try to blow you up." She cooed to her beloved pet. When she looked up at Severus again she found that he still had his wand out and was glaring at the cat that now began to hiss in her arms. "Don't you even think it!"  
  
"Don't think what?" He asked crossing his arms and giving the cat a death stare as it still continued to hiss at him.  
  
"Think about trying to get him when my back is turned, I know your kind. You think that just because you tripped over him gives you the right to torture my cat." He was about to say something but she cut in. "I am still talking! Your the one who stepped and tripped over him, it's not my cat's fault that your clumsy." Once again he tried to cut in. "Still talking Severus. If I find one hair out of place on his head I am specifically coming after you to, incase you've forgotten I can have you in 7 places at once."  
  
"Fine, but if that thing comes near me again then he will end up being a lab rat (cat) for Mr. Longbottom's potions." Before she even had time to retort he turned on his heal and continued to walk down the dark hallway with Stacey muttering insults under her breath.  
  
"A heart, a heart, the man has no heart they say. Oh he has a heart it's just in a jar like everything else he has." She muttered nastily under her breath while power walking to keep up with him..  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
Stacey stood turning round and round looking at the room she was standing in. It brought back so many memories of home, when she use to teach karate. The room was twice the size of her classroom and covering the stone floor was a giant mat that hade a Chinese character on it.(character as in letter.) in the corner was an old punching bag hanging on a chain. It was a big change from the dark hall way that she had to walk through to get here. The one thing that was on her mind was why he took her here? What was he trying to get at?  
  
"Why are we here?" She asked walking over to the punching bag. "Ok let me rephrase that. Where are we? I didn't think a place like Hogwarts had a room like this."  
  
"We are here to continue your training; Albus feels that you still have a lot of work to do." He was standing in the door way waiting for her to say something.  
  
"Ok, did he miss out on the part when you nearly died? It's impossible for me to control this...this..curse, you really have no idea what it's like to have so much power and to have it control you."  
  
"No Albus did not miss out on anything. He feels you have what it takes to learn how to control you power, and you did not almost kill me. I was the one who jumped under there in the first place. Now stop acting like a child and sit down." He stepped inside the room, but then stopped when he saw that she was still standing. "What is it now Stacey?" He said irritated.  
  
"It's such a nice room; it's going to be a shame when I blow it up." She was admiring one of the tapestries on the walls while he grew even more irritated.  
  
"You couldn't blow it up even if you wanted to."  
  
"Where have you been? I was the one who gave my Grandfather the new view of the lake in his office."  
  
"This room has been charmed so that if you do manage to damage something it will reform again." She didn't believe him and he must have picked up on this. "Go ahead and try to destroy that wall over there." She hesitated for a moment, but then figured if it didn't reform then she could blame it on him. With a lazy motion she blew up the left wall and to her utter surprise it reformed again. Ok so meaby he wasn't lying.  
  
"Woah! That is so cool; I wish my T.V had that charm when it exploded."  
  
"T.V.?"  
  
"Oh lord; don't you people even know what a Television is?"  
  
"Tellefision?"  
  
"Never mind, it's difficult enough to teach the students." She shook her head in expatriation.  
  
"Stop prattling and lets get started."  
  
"Let the bombing begin."  
  
A.N: I will be a little slow..My school is having the state test so I have to prepare for that.thank you guys for reading and reviewing. It makes me want to write .:0) 


	14. Sorry

My apologies to everyone for not being able to write….I have been going threw some sort of a writers block and I have only been able to write a few sentences every week (sad,sad,sad.) I should be done in a week or so with the new chapter…and thankfully since summer break is almost here I will be able to write more….whooooo hoooo

                                                                                                            Stacey

P.S. I need ideas…please if you have any let me know…I would really be thankful…:0)


	15. private lessons

Ch 14. Private Lessons  
  
"BLOODY HELL WOMAN, I TOLD YOU TO AIM AT THE BAG NOT ME!!!" He shouted at her while narrowly dodgeing an explosion at his feet.  
  
"IT"S NOT MY FAULT, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S STANDING SO DAMN CLOSE TO IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!" She shot back. They had been going on like this for 10 minutes now. Stacey was growing tired and exhausted from using up so much power while Severus's pachients was growing thin. This had been the 7th time today that he had yelled at her and little did he know that she was now aiming close to him out of spite.  
  
Over the past hour, Stacey's power seemed to be under control. She could aim and shatter something as small as a pebble, but still be able to explode a whole wall. It was a good feeling to know that now she wasn't putting anyone in danger  
  
"Are we done yet! I'm tired, crankey, and I think........" suddenly the door flew open, cutting her off in mid setence. Laurelle was standing in the door way holding up a pice of paper that appeared to be an old fashioned news paper.  
  
"Stacey, Stacey, Stacey!!! You have to read this, you..."  
  
"Miss. Wallach! Mind telling me how you came to find out where Professor Vitale was?" You know it really haden't hit Stacey how Laurelle did manage to find where she was in the first place. knowing her she proabbly threatened someone into telling her. Stacey giggled at the thought while severus gave her a dark look.  
  
"Oh well I umm, you see I saw Stacey's cat walking from the dungons and I asked him to lead me to you." It was then Severus notices the little kitten taking shelter behind Laurelle's legs. Severus was furious, he knew that there was something wrong with that cat and there it was mocking him, or atleast to him it was mocking him. "Look Stacey you have to read this, your in a whole shit load of trouble." Laurelle said while throwing the news paper at Stacey.  
  
When she looked at the tiltle of the news paper she realized she really was in a whole lot of trouble. The words "DAILY PROPHET" were printed in bold on the top of the page. Stacey had read this picticular pice of work before, especily from a Miss. Reta Sketer, who had this uncanny way of taking the truth and twisting it into something else.  
  
"Laurelle before I read this and begin a search for the cursed person who wrote this, is there something you want to tell me?" Laurelle just nodded her head no while keeping one eye on her, right now, murderous potions teacher.  
  
"Right umm ok, for anyone here who is not areldy dead or shatter proff would do good to back up now." Stacey then opened up the news article and read the front page  
  
Dumbledore's tragic mistake!  
  
Albus Dumbledore, eccentric headmaster of  
Hogwarts school of witchcraft and Wizardry,  
has never been afraid to make controversial  
staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter.  
In December of this year he has seem to  
have hired a mysterious girl who is rumored  
to be the granddaughter of Dumbledore  
himself. We have not yet had any comment  
from the new professor but it seems that  
she acquired a strange liking to the  
potions master of Hogwarts School Mr.  
Severus Snape.  
"I don't think she's a very good  
professor," commented Draco Malfoy, a  
student here at Hogwarts." She bloody well  
sent her people to come and beat the snot  
out of me. If u ask me I think she should  
be sacked."  
  
continued on page 12  
  
"WHAT!!!!" She screamed after she was done reading the article. Stacey had read enough and didn't even bother to continue on page 12."If I ever get my hands on that little snot nosed brat then the paper will have something to really write about! And what is this crap about me "acquiring a strange liking in the potions master?!" Do they have nothing better to do then to pick at people. Laurelle why didn't you tell me about this in the first place?"  
  
"Stacey they always write stupid stuff like that it's-"  
  
"I don't care! I am going to sue the pants off of Rita Skeeter! She can't do this it's in the Constitution!"  
  
"Were in Scotland remember, there is no Constitution and not to mention we are in the wizarding world. Documents like that don't exist."  
  
" It's...It's..."  
  
"Perfect for keeping things in order." Everyone in the room quickly turned around to face the door once again. Standing there in his dark green robes and long blonde hair that made even Stacey jealous was Lucius. His eyes were fixed on Stacey for a moment then quickly shot to Laurelle who was quivering in the corner of the room. "Miss. Wallach I acutely came down here to find you, it seems that you have taken pleasure in harassing Draco now not that...."  
  
"Mr. Malfoy," Stacey knew what was coming in for Laurelle and she might as well save her friend with the one thing she did best, lie like a dog. "I have taken it upon my self to give out punishment to Miss. Wallach, she will receive a one month detention and will be helping Professor Snape with uhhhh stuff." She gave a look at Laurelle who smiled nervously  
  
"I expect this punishment to be carried out," He turned to Snape" I am sure I can put my trust in you Severus to see that this punishment is well suited to the crime?" He walked across the room while keeping his eyes on Stacey. She didn't like the way he was looking at her, he knew something, something that could put her life in danger if the wrong person knew what she could do.  
  
"Umm Severus I think Laurelle and I will go we uhhh-" Stacey started  
  
"We have to go do that thing at that place-"  
  
"Yea we must not keep that thing waiting." Stacey and Laurelle were slowly moving away from Lucius who at this point was stationed next to Severus staring at Stacey, and closer to the door.  
  
"We are terribly sorry for our leave-"  
  
"But uhh yea..BYE" finished Stacey. They both took off at a startling fast pace and made a run for it down the hall. Severus was now alone with Lucius and knew exactly what he came down here for. Not to talk to the annoying Miss. Wallach, but to observe Stacey. He must have read the paper and decided to get close to discover the best possible way to bring harm to her.  
  
"I didn't think that you had an interest in muggles Lucius?" At hearing this Lucius gave a snort of disgust.  
  
"I don't, but as you know Severus, Stacey is in no way a muggle. But you figured tht out long before I did didn't you ...old friend?" Lucius started to walk toward the door to leave but before he did turned back to Severus. "Oh and Severus, our master is waiting for the one who he is seeking, if you don't make a move to bring her to him then I will." With that said he left.  
  
The cat, which Severus thought had left a long time ago gave a spitting hiss at Lucius after he left. Severus knelt down and gave the kitten a pat on he head.  
  
"So you and me both have the same idea huh?"  
  
A.N. I know I know..What the hell took you so long to write the stupid chapter...I am soo sorry that i did not finish it sooner.. but i had finals and tennis practice and a really bad case of writers block. but I finally got it done...if this ever happens again just hit me with a book...but u people are very luckey...the new hp book has gotten me out of my writers slump....ok well give me more reviews they are my inspiration...thank u guys! :0) 


End file.
